New KCBE Exam to Undergo Pilot in June 2027 Before Full Rollout in 2028

KCSE to Be Phased Out in 2028 as KNEC Prepares to Introduce KCBE

Kenya is preparing for a major transformation in its national examination system, with the Kenya Certificate of Basic Education (KCBE) set to replace the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) in 2028 as the country completes its transition from the 8-4-4 education system to the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).

The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) has planned a pilot assessment for June 2027, targeting selected schools across the country to test the new examination system ahead of its nationwide implementation.

The exercise will provide an opportunity for the examinations council to assess the preparedness of learners, teachers and schools before the pioneer CBC cohort sits its final assessment at the end of Grade 12.

According to information from a KNEC Competency-Based Assessment coordinator, the schools selected to participate in the pilot will be notified in advance.

The exercise is expected to test assessment procedures, tools, logistics and other systems that will be required when KCBE is administered nationally.

The planned pilot marks an important milestone in the implementation of CBC, which has gradually replaced the traditional curriculum from pre-primary through primary and junior school before progressing to senior school.

The new examination model will introduce significant changes to how learners are assessed, how their final grades are calculated and how they receive certification at the end of basic education.

KCSE Examination Enters Its Final Years

The announcement comes as the 2026 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education examination officially commenced on Monday, November 2, with 1,048,355 candidates registered to sit the national examination in 10,693 examination centres across the country.

The candidates settled for their first major written papers as the Ministry of Education and KNEC began administering the examination, which remains the final national secondary school examination under the outgoing 8-4-4 system.

For decades, KCSE has served as the main national examination used to assess learners at the end of secondary education and determine their eligibility for university and other post-secondary training opportunities.

Its results have played a significant role in determining learners’ next steps, including university admission, college placement and entry into various professional training programmes.

However, the introduction of CBC has set the stage for the gradual retirement of the examination as Kenya adopts a competency-based approach to learning and assessment.

Under the new curriculum, learners progress through pre-primary, primary, junior school and senior school, completing 12 years of basic education before receiving their final KCBE certificate.

With the 2026 examination now underway, the country is approaching the final phase of the transition.

The 2027 KCSE examination will be the last sitting under the traditional system, paving the way for KCBE as the pioneer CBC cohort reaches Grade 12 in 2028.

The transition will mark the end of an era for the 8-4-4 system, which has shaped Kenya’s education landscape for decades.

KNEC Prepares for June 2027 KCBE Pilot

The planned June 2027 pilot will be one of the most important preparations for the introduction of KCBE.

KNEC intends to conduct the exercise in selected schools representing different education environments across the country.

The schools will be identified using criteria designed to capture the diversity of Kenya’s school system.

Among the factors expected to guide selection are geographical location, the number of learners enrolled, school category and the inclusion of institutions serving learners with special educational needs.

Schools from different regions will be considered to ensure that the pilot captures the practical realities of administering national assessments in urban, rural and hardship areas.

The number of learners in participating schools will also be an important consideration because assessment administration may present different logistical demands in small schools compared with large institutions with several streams.

The involvement of special needs schools will help KNEC assess whether the examination procedures and assessment tools adequately accommodate learners who require additional support or specific adjustments.

The approach is intended to give the council a broader understanding of the challenges that could emerge during the national rollout.

Unlike an ordinary school examination, the pilot will allow KNEC to examine the performance of its assessment systems under conditions that more closely resemble the eventual national exercise.

The findings will help identify gaps that need to be addressed before the pioneer CBC cohort undertakes its final assessment.

Grade 11 Learners to Participate in the Pilot

By June 2027, the pioneer CBC cohort, which is currently in Grade 10, will have progressed to Grade 11.

The learners will therefore participate in the pilot one year before their expected final KCBE assessment in Grade 12.

The exercise is intended to gauge their preparedness while giving KNEC an opportunity to establish whether the assessment arrangements are ready for the first national sitting.

KNEC is also expected to provide participating learners with a rehearsal day before the actual pilot assessments begin.

The rehearsal will familiarise candidates with the practical procedures involved, including the administration of assessment materials, the recording of responses and the general examination environment.

This preparation is expected to reduce confusion and anxiety by allowing learners to understand how the new assessment will be conducted before taking the actual pilot tests.

KNEC will also issue a comprehensive timetable to guide the exercise across the different learning areas offered under the three senior school pathways.

These pathways are Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), Social Sciences, and Arts and Sports Science.

Their inclusion will allow the assessment council to test procedures relevant to the different academic and career-oriented routes available to senior school learners.

The pilot will not simply be a rehearsal for students. It will also provide KNEC with an opportunity to examine its systems, identify operational challenges and make adjustments before KCBE is introduced nationally.

How KCBE Will Differ From KCSE

One of the biggest changes introduced by KCBE will be the way learners’ performance contributes to their final grades.

Under the traditional KCSE model, candidates sit a national examination at the end of secondary school, with their performance in that examination determining their final results.

The CBC assessment framework adopts a cumulative approach, combining school-based assessment results from senior school with a final summative assessment at the end of Grade 12.

According to the assessment structure outlined by KNEC, the final KCBE grade will comprise contributions from all three senior school years.

KCBE final assessment structure

Grade Level	Type of Assessment	Contribution to Final Mark
Grade 10	School-Based Assessment (SBA)	15%
Grade 11	School-Based Assessment (SBA)	15%
Grade 12	Summative Assessment (KCBE)	70%

The structure means that learners will need to maintain consistent academic performance throughout senior school rather than relying exclusively on the final national examination.

Projects, practical activities and written assessments completed during the earlier grades will contribute to the final outcome.

The new approach is designed to place greater emphasis on the competencies learners develop over time, while retaining a substantial role for the final national assessment.

For teachers, the changes will require careful administration of school-based assessments, accurate scoring and proper maintenance of records.

Schools will also be required to upload assessment scores to the designated KNEC Senior School portal and retain physical evidence of learners’ work for verification.

The records will help support the credibility of the cumulative assessment system and provide evidence for scores submitted by schools.

Only One Certificate Under the New System

Another major change concerns the number of national certificates learners will receive under CBC.

Under the outgoing 8-4-4 system, learners sat KCPE at the end of primary school and KCSE at the end of secondary school, receiving separate national certificates at the two stages.

The CBC framework adopts a different certification structure.

Under the arrangements outlined by KNEC, learners will receive the KCBE certificate at the end of Grade 12, marking the completion of basic education.

At the end of primary school, learners will receive a Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) report. Those completing junior school will receive a Kenya Junior Secondary Education Assessment (KJSEA) report.

These reports will record learners’ performance at the respective stages and support educational guidance and placement, but they will not replace the final KCBE certificate.

The new arrangement is intended to provide a continuous record of learning and assessment as learners progress through the 12 years of basic education.

Learners are registered for senior school assessment upon joining Grade 10, using their KJSEA results to link their earlier performance records to the senior school assessment process.

This creates continuity in assessment records from junior school through to the final KCBE examination.

KNEC Moves to Prepare Teachers for the New Assessment

The success of KCBE will depend partly on how well teachers understand and implement the new assessment requirements.

KNEC has established an online, self-paced training platform to help senior school teachers build their capacity in competency-based assessment.

Teachers can access the learning management system through https://cbalms.knec.ac.ke, where training modules are designed to familiarise them with assessment procedures, scoring and the management of learner performance records.

The training is important because the new system requires teachers to assess practical skills, projects and other learning activities in addition to administering written tests.

Schools will also be expected to follow the annual assessment calendar. Projects and practical assessments are scheduled during the second term, while written tests are conducted during the third term, according to the framework outlined by KNEC.

Assessment results must then be uploaded to the designated portal, while teachers retain the relevant evidence for verification.

The training and pilot exercise are expected to help identify areas where additional guidance or improvements may be required before the first KCBE examination.

What the Transition Means for Learners and Parents

The replacement of KCSE with KCBE will require learners, parents and teachers to adjust their understanding of national examinations and academic preparation.

For learners, the most significant change is that performance in Grade 10 and Grade 11 will contribute directly to the final certificate. Students will therefore need to take school-based assessments seriously throughout senior school.

Parents will also need to understand that a learner’s final result will no longer depend entirely on the examination taken at the end of the last grade.

For teachers and school administrators, the transition will demand accurate assessment records, proper handling of projects and practicals, timely submission of scores and adherence to KNEC guidelines.

The June 2027 pilot will provide an opportunity to identify challenges before the new assessment is administered to the pioneer cohort nationally.

It will also offer KNEC an opportunity to test whether the assessment arrangements work across different school categories and pathways.

As the 2026 KCSE examination continues, Kenya’s education sector is preparing for a historic change in how learners complete basic education and receive their final national certification.

The final KCSE sitting in 2027 will close a chapter in the country’s education history, while the planned KCBE pilot in June 2027 will form part of preparations for the new examination in 2028.

The success of the transition will depend on effective planning, teacher preparedness, reliable assessment systems and clear communication with schools, learners and parents as Kenya moves further into the CBC era.