KISII, Kenya — Confusion has emerged across the country a day after the Ministry of Education released the inaugural Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA) results, with parents and learners struggling to interpret the new competency-based education (CBE) grading system.
The new structure, built on an eight-level performance scale rather than the long-familiar A–E letter grades, has left many families uncertain about what the results mean and how they will influence learners’ placement as the pioneer Grade 9 cohort prepares for transition to senior school.
In Kisii County, dozens of concerned parents converged at Kari Comprehensive School despite the holiday break, seeking explanations from teachers and school administrators.
Many said they found the terms used in the results — such as exceeding expectation, meeting expectation, approaching expectation, and below expectation — difficult to understand without prior orientation.
“This system we have not understood well. Even as I am being explained to, it is still not very clear, and that is why we have come to school so that teachers can help us understand what it really means,” said Erick Omboga, a parent.
The KJSEA marks the first national assessment under the CBE framework, making the 2025 Grade 9 class the first cohort to receive results using the new performance bands. Education officials say the system is designed to assess competencies rather than rote performance, but parents argue the shift has been abrupt.
At Kari Primary School, top-performing learner Gibios Nyamao said the grading outcomes raised concerns about subject placement and career pathways.
“According to my grades and ranking, arts and sports have the highest ranking, but I chose STEM,” he said. “I am appealing to the government to assist me because I am interested in STEM, even though I have excelled in arts and sports.”
Under the new system, each subject is graded out of a maximum of eight points, with nine learning areas assessed for a total possible score of 72 points. Instead of letter grades, results are grouped into four broad performance levels.
The highest band, Exceeding Expectation One (EE1), attracts eight points and represents scores between 90 and 100pc, while Exceeding Expectation Two (EE2) earns seven points for scores of 75–89pc. Meeting Expectation One covers 58–74pc, while Meeting Expectation Two applies to scores between 41 and 57pc.
The Approaching Expectation category is split into two bands — 31–40pc and 21–30pc — while the lowest levels fall under Below Expectation, covering scores between 1 and 20pc.
For many parents, the absence of traditional points and grades has created anxiety.
“When we saw EE on the results, the terminologies confused us because we are used to points,” said Charles Baraza, a parent in Machakos. “We are asking the government to educate parents so that we can understand better.”
Another parent, Lillian Naymbu, said the lack of numerical ranking makes it difficult to gauge achievement. “When a child says they have exceeded expectations, we get confused because there are no points or clear grades like before,” she said.
School heads say they are now on the front line of interpreting the new system for parents. Kari Comprehensive School headteacher Maseno Abed said teachers are addressing concerns while consulting education officers where clarification is needed.
“They have come, and we are addressing their concerns,” Abed said. “At least we have been trained, and where we are not sure, we consult education officers.”
As the Ministry of Education prepares guidelines for senior school placement, education stakeholders are calling for nationwide sensitisation to help parents and learners navigate the new CBE assessment framework and reduce uncertainty around one of the most significant education reforms in decades.
