KNEC Has Revealed the 2023 KCSE Grading System
KNEC Has Revealed the 2023 KCSE Grading System. Kenya’s Ministry of Education has introduced a revamped Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) assessment system for 2023. Under this new structure, Ezekiel Machogu, CS Education, announced that mathematics and one language (English, Kiswahili or Kenyan Sign Language) will be the only compulsory subjects . The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) will consider a candidate’s top five subjects, deviating from the previous reliance on seven courses.
The shift is designed to make Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) at certificate and artisan levels, as well as universities and diploma programs, more accessible to a wider range of students. The reform addresses concerns that students with specific strengths faced disadvantage if their preferred subjects did not match the traditional grouping.
The new approach, which moves away from the criticized 8-4-4 assessment system, aims to reduce early school leaving and promote more holistic assessment. English and Kiswahili focus on literacy, while mathematics and any other science course assesses numeracy.
To increase reliability, concerns about formative assessment have led to calls for an external Knec assessment to align with global practice in different countries. The proposed system combines formative and summative assessment to provide effective feedback on student development.
Illustrating the impact of the new grading system, a student’s performance in eight subjects can now result in a B- (minus) of 55 points, an improvement over the previous C+ (plus) of 49 points.
As Kenya takes this bold step in education reform, the new KCSE assessment system promises a more flexible and inclusive approach that aims to cultivate diverse skills and knowledge among students, ultimately shaping a brighter future for Kenya’s youth.
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