Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) has emerged as the most preferred career pathway among learners who sat the inaugural Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA) in Nakuru County, signalling a decisive shift toward science-oriented learning as Kenya accelerates the transition to a competency-based education system.
At St Xavier’s Primary and Junior School in Nakuru Town East Sub-County, more than 60 candidates who sat the 2025 KJSEA expressed a strong interest in pursuing STEM-related careers, underscoring growing learner confidence in science, innovation, and technology-driven fields.
The 2025 KJSEA, which marks the first national assessment under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), was reported using an eight-point scale derived from four performance levels: Exceeding Expectation, Meeting Expectation, Approaching Expectation, and Below Expectation. According to the Ministry of Education, the performance bands are designed to distinguish exemplary achievement from good performance while offering a fair reflection of learners’ competencies.
At St Xavier’s, ten candidates attained Exceeding Expectation (Level One), while a further 51 achieved Exceeding Expectation (Level Two). Most of these learners openly articulated aspirations aligned with innovation, scientific inquiry, engineering, aviation, and medicine.
Top-performing student Murimi Almatchodo, aged 11, scored 71 points out of a possible 72. His classmates, Kandra Wanjiru and Lynn Njoki, followed closely with 70 points each.
Almatchodo noted that while the rising preference for STEM pathways will exert pressure on senior schools to expand laboratory infrastructure and technical capacity, the trend represents a positive step as Kenya advances in digital innovation, manufacturing, and engineering.
“The interest in STEM is good for the country, but senior schools must be prepared with laboratories, equipment, and teachers to support the numbers,” he said.
Aspiring to become a pilot, Almatchodo said STEM literacy is crucial for developing nations to keep pace with technological advancement, foster innovation, and build a skilled workforce capable of addressing national challenges.
“As a pioneer class of the competency-based system, we had no past papers to rely on and no predecessors to learn from. We depended on our teachers, parents, and our own discipline,” he said.
He attributed his success to hard work, persistence, and encouragement from both teachers and parents, saying consistent mentorship played a critical role in shaping his confidence and academic focus.
Almatchodo called on education authorities to develop a comprehensive national policy and funding framework for STEM and robotics, arguing that equitable investment is required to balance STEM and arts-related subjects.
He also urged the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) to integrate practical learning modules in artificial intelligence, robotics, data science, and cybersecurity to better align education with future labour market demands.
His mother, Ms Ruth Muthoni, a businesswoman, expressed joy over her son’s performance and lauded teachers for their commitment to nurturing learners under the new curriculum.
Ms Muthoni emphasized the need to strengthen Kenya’s STEM ecosystem through structured mentorship programmes, especially for girls and learners from marginalized areas, to boost practical skills and career readiness.
“There is need to bridge gaps in the CBC through teacher training, digital platforms, and industry-academia collaboration so that education translates into innovation and employment,” she said.
Under the new education structure, senior schools will offer three pathways: STEM; Arts and Sports Science; and Social Sciences. Institutions will be categorized as triple-pathway schools offering all three options or dual-pathway schools offering STEM and one additional pathway.
According to Ministry of Education projections, 60 percent of learners transitioning from junior school will pursue STEM, 25 percent social sciences, and 15 percent arts and sports science.
For 12-year-old Kandra Wanjiru, whose dream is to become a neurosurgeon, the CBC pathway structure offers clarity and early alignment with career goals.
“Medicine has always been my dream. I want to work harder in senior school and make it a reality,” she said, thanking her parents and teachers for their unwavering support.
Wanjiru highlighted the need for adequate infrastructure, such as computer laboratories, reliable internet connectivity, and science equipment, particularly in rural areas, to ensure equitable access to ICT and STEM education.
She added that partnerships between government, educational institutions, and the private sector would help build a sustainable ecosystem for STEM learning and career development.
Lynn Njoki, who hopes to become an aeronautical engineer, attributed her interest in STEM to the government’s push toward a knowledge-based economy, recognition of high-demand technology careers, improved digital infrastructure such as fibre optic networks, and a curriculum that prioritizes practical skills.
“The new curriculum emphasizes practical learning rather than theory. Through hands-on activities, teachers can identify our abilities and guide us better,” she said.
Njoki noted that practical learning demystifies stereotypes that science subjects are reserved for certain groups and helps break gender barriers, encouraging both boys and girls to embrace STEM.
St Xavier’s Primary and Junior School Principal Ms Terestina Njagi said the Competency-Based Curriculum is a forward-looking framework designed to equip learners with skills, values, and attitudes required in a dynamic 21st-century environment.
She said the school prepared 116 candidates for the 2025 KJSEA, with 36 meeting Exceeding Expectation Level One and 17 achieving Exceeding Expectation Level Two.
“A key component of CBC is the Kenya Junior School Education Assessment, which evaluates learners’ competencies and guides their transition into senior school based on strengths and interests,” Ms Njagi said.
She observed that KJSEA results play a crucial role in early identification of learner potential, enabling parents and schools to guide students toward suitable pathways.
The final grade for each learner comprises 20 percent from the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA), 20 percent from school-based assessments in Grades Seven and Eight, and 60 percent from the Grade Nine summative assessment (KJSEA).
Performance is reported on an eight-point scale, with Point Eight representing exceptional performance (90–100 percent) and Point One indicating minimal performance (1–10 percent).
Nationally, a total of 1,130,459 candidates sat the 2025 KJSEA, with boys accounting for 578,630 (51.19 percent) and girls 551,829 (48.81 percent).
Education Cabinet Secretary Mr Julius Ogamba said 59.09 percent of candidates demonstrated potential to pursue STEM pathways, while 46.52 percent showed capacity for Social Sciences and 48.73 percent for Arts and Sports Science.
With results now released, learners will be placed in senior schools based on performance and selected pathways. The country’s 9,540 senior schools have been categorized as C1, C2, C3, and C4 institutions, corresponding to former national, extra-county, county, and sub-county schools, respectively.
The categorization is based on the pathways each school will offer to accommodate learner interests and national development priorities.
By Jane Ngugi and Dennis Rasto
