KNEC Issues Guidelines ahead of Student Assessment.
As Kenya gets ready to take part in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), a worldwide education benchmarking program, the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) has issued new recommendations for students and institutions.
According to the council’s recommendations released on Friday, August 8, children in Grades 7 and up who are 15 years old will be included in the evaluation, which is set to start in September 2025.
“This age group is chosen because most students at this age are nearing the end of compulsory education, making it a key point to assess learning outcomes across different education systems,” KNEC stated.
Students’ ability to apply their reading, arithmetic, and science knowledge to real-world scenarios will be assessed on the PISA exam rather than their rote memorizing skills.
According to KNEC, Kenya will join more than 90 other nations taking part in the global evaluation of educational systems, which is led by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
More than 250 schools—both elementary and secondary—have been chosen to take part in PISA 2025.
To provide a fair and nationally representative sample, the selection process was carried out using probability techniques, which are scientifically acceptable sampling procedures.
This extends beyond urban centers to include schools from underprivileged and neglected communities. No matter their grade or form, a maximum of 42 pupils from each school will be selected to take part in PISA.
Computer-Based Assessment (CBA) and Paper-Based Assessment (PBA) are the two methods used to administer PISA.
As has been the norm for PISA worldwide since 2015, computer-based assessments will be used to evaluate students in Kenya.
KNEC claims that CBA will enable more interactive and adaptable testing, better assessing students’ critical thinking and problem-solving abilities in authentic settings.
KNEC promised to supply the necessary laptops for the duration of the evaluation. Teachers may play a variety of responsibilities, including coding and marking the open-ended responses, according to the testing body.
The findings of PISA will be used to determine our educational system’s advantages and disadvantages. To improve learning outcomes for all children at all levels, these findings will guide curricular improvements, teacher preparation programs, and resource allocation, according to KNEC.
The Main Survey in Kenya is scheduled for September 2025, and in 2026, data analysis, reporting, and results distribution will follow. KNEC will regularly offer updates via a variety of communication methods.
KNEC Issues Guidelines ahead of Student Assessment.
