Nairobi — The Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) has announced a groundbreaking step in the competency-based education (CBE) curriculum with the introduction of interest-based questionnaires for Grade 9 learners.

This initiative is designed to help students select appropriate career pathways as they transition into Senior Secondary School (SSS) in Grade 10.

KNEC Chief Executive Officer David Njengere stated on Thursday, December 19, that the questionnaires will be administered to the first cohort of Grade 9 students in 2025.

"Apart from achievement assessments, we will also administer a questionnaire to Grade 9 learners to explore their interests and other personal attributes that will speak to the kind of pathways and tracks that they will pursue in senior school," Njengere explained.

The questionnaires aim to identify students' personal attributes, strengths, and aspirations to assist educators in guiding them toward suitable career tracks. Under this framework, the first Grade 10 cohort is set to begin in 2026.

Njengere emphasized the professionalism of teachers in administering School-Based Assessments (SBAs), which have been in place since 2019. "Since 2019, teachers have been administering these SBAs, and I can assure you that we've been getting a normal curve, which shows that the teachers are very objective and professional," he said.

To support the transition, KNEC conducted a seminar for teachers from 235 schools that participated in the Kenya Junior Secondary Education Assessment (KJSEA) pilot program in 2022. The training focused on familiarizing teachers with updated national assessment tools and incorporating feedback from students and school heads.

Anne Ngatia, KNEC's Director of Research and Innovation, highlighted the significance of the initiative, noting, "The assessment is an essential tool for identifying each learner's potential and guiding them toward a path that suits their interests and skills."