Over 2.58 million learners began the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) and Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA) on Monday, October 26, 2026. However, data show that at least 260,679 learners who should have progressed to this year’s national examinations are missing.
According to the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC), 1,380,463 Grade 6 learners registered for the KPSEA, while 1,206,028 Grade 9 learners registered for the KJSEA. The exams began at 8.30 am after rehearsals on Friday. The KPSEA will end on Wednesday, October 28, while the KJSEA will end on Friday, October 30.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba officially launched the exercise in Makueni County on Monday morning. He witnessed the opening of a KNEC examination container and the distribution of examination materials at the Makindu Sub-County Deputy County Commissioner’s Office. Ogamba then visited Kiambani Comprehensive School to observe the administration of the exams.
Ogamba warned against examination malpractice.
“We want to warn parents, learners and the public against anyone who claims to have prior knowledge of examination papers and asks for money. This is fraud. We will not allow any form of examination malpractice. Centre managers, supervisors, invigilators and officials should ensure that they conduct themselves with the highest integrity. Any learner found doing anything irregular will be dealt with accordingly,” he said.
Ogamba told the Nation that the number of missing learners does not necessarily mean they have dropped out of school.
“Some of the learners are lost because of natural attrition. Some learners have passed on or cannot continue. Some of them have moved to different curricula, such as international schools. There are also cases of learners dropping out and not advancing. They may have dropped out because they became pregnant early or fell ill, but they have been given a chance to come back in,” he said.
The exams are a key part of Kenya’s transition from the 8-4-4 system to the Competency-Based Curriculum. The KPSEA marks the end of primary school for Grade 6 learners, while the KJSEA results will help place Grade 9 learners in senior school. The results combine school-based assessments and national examinations.
Ogamba said multi-agency teams from the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Interior and National Administration were ensuring that everything was handled smoothly, securely and in an organised manner.
This year, more than 3.63 million learners are sitting the KPSEA, KJSEA and Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations, making this one of the biggest national examination cycles.
– By John Murunga
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