Knec Issues Checklist for Grade 6, Grade 9 Candidates Ahead of October 26 Papers
Parents have been advised to shop early as the Kenya National Examinations Council releases the required materials and timetables for KPSEA and KJSEA.
The Kenya National Examinations Council (Knec) has published the items that learners sitting the Grade 6 Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) and the Grade 9 Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA) will need during the assessment period.
Alongside the list, the council has released timetables showing how the two assessments will be administered, with a rehearsal day on Friday, October 23, 2026, and the written papers starting on Monday, October 26.
For parents and guardians, the announcement is a prompt to check school bags, replace worn stationery and budget for what is missing. For learners, it is a reminder that preparation includes more than revision.
What Grade 6 learners need for KPSEA
Knec has listed four basic items for Grade 6 learners sitting KPSEA:
- Geometrical set: Ksh 200 to 350
- HB pencil: Ksh 30 to 80
- Clip Board: Ksh 200 to 350
- Pen: Ksh 10 to 70
- 30cm ruler: Ksh 30 to 80
The prices are market estimates and will vary with quality, brand and where the items are bought.
A branded geometrical set from a established stationery supplier will cost more than a basic one from a local shop, and the same goes for pens and pencils.
Based on these ranges, a parent can expect to spend roughly Ksh 270 to Ksh 580 to equip a Grade 6 learner fully, depending on the choices made.
Most families will already own some of these items, so the actual cost may be lower. Parents should check that the geometrical set is complete, with a protractor, set squares, a compass and dividers where applicable, and that the ruler is clearly marked in both centimetres and millimetres.
What Grade 9 learners need for KJSEA
Grade 9 learners sitting KJSEA have a longer list, reflecting the demands of the Mathematics and science papers:
- Calculator (Casio): Ksh 800 to 1,200
- Geometrical set: Ksh 200 to 350
- HB pencil: Ksh 30 to 80
- Pen: Ksh 10 to 70
- Clip Board: Ksh 200 to 350
- 30cm ruler: Ksh 30 to 80
- Mathematical table (four figure): about Ksh 500
Again, the prices depend on quality, market and brand. Adding up the ranges, a Grade 9 learner’s full kit would cost between roughly Ksh 1,570 and Ksh 2,280.
The calculator and the mathematical tables account for most of that, so they are the items to plan for first.
The listing specifies a Casio calculator, so parents should confirm the exact model requirements with the school before buying.
Learners should also practise with the calculator they will use in the exam, since familiarity with its functions saves time under pressure.
Mathematical tables are no different: learners who have only occasionally used the four-figure tables should practise reading them quickly and accurately before exam week.
A closer look at the KPSEA timetable
The KPSEA timetable begins with a rehearsal day on Friday, October 23, 2026, which lets schools and learners run through procedures before the real papers.
Day 1, Monday, October 26: Mathematics runs from 8.30 am to 9.50 am, lasting 1 hour 20 minutes. After a 30-minute break, English follows from 10.50 am to 11.50 am, lasting one hour.
Day 2, Tuesday, October 27: Integrated Science runs from 8.30 am to 10.10 am, lasting 1 hour 40 minutes. After a 30-minute break from 10.40 am, Kiswahili runs from 11.10 am to 12.10 pm, lasting one hour. Kenyan Sign Language is scheduled at the same time as Kiswahili, also for one hour.
Day 3, Wednesday, October 28: Creative Arts and Social Studies is scheduled from 8.30 am to 10.10 am, lasting 1 hour 40 minutes.
The timetable also provides for learners with special needs. Large print versions of Mathematics, English, Integrated Science, Kiswahili, and Creative Arts and Social Studies are offered on the same timings as the standard papers.
Braille candidates get extra time, such as 1 hour 50 minutes for Mathematics and 2 hours 10 minutes for Integrated Science and for Creative Arts and Social Studies. Hearing-impaired candidates sitting English get 1 hour 20 minutes instead of one hour.
A closer look at the KJSEA timetable
The KJSEA is more extensive, with written papers spread across five days after the same rehearsal day on October 23. It also includes project and practical components completed earlier in the year.
Creative Arts and Sports (Project) ran from May to July 2026 over three months, Pre-Technical Studies (Project) took one month, and the Agriculture practical was scheduled for July 2026.
Day 1, Monday, October 26: English Language (901/1) runs from 8.30 am to 10.10 am. After a 30-minute break, English Composition and Literary Analysis (901/2) runs from 11.10 am to 12.55 pm, lasting 1 hour 45 minutes.
Day 2, Tuesday, October 27: Kiswahili Lugha (902/1) runs from 8.30 am to 10.10 am, followed by Kiswahili Insha na Utangulizi wa Fasihi (902/2) from 11.10 am to 12.55 pm. Kenyan Sign Language has its own two papers, 904/1 and 904/2, in the same time slots.
Day 3, Wednesday, October 28: Mathematics (903) is first, from 8.30 am to 10.30 am, lasting two hours. This is the paper where the calculator, mathematical tables, ruler and geometrical set matter most. After a break from 11.00 am to 11.30 am, Agriculture (906/1) follows from 11.30 am to 1.10 pm.
Day 4, Thursday, October 29: Integrated Science (905/1) runs from 8.30 am to 10.10 am, followed by Social Studies (907) from 11.10 am to 12.40 pm. After a 50-minute break, Creative Arts and Sports (911/2) is scheduled from 2.00 pm to 3.40 pm.
Day 5, Friday, October 30: Pre-Technical Studies (912/1) opens the day from 8.30 am to 10.10 am. From 11.10 am to 12.40 pm, learners sit Christian Religious Education (908), Islamic Religious Education (909) or Hindu Religious Education (910), depending on their subject. The final paper is Integrated Science (905/2), from 2.00 pm to 3.00 pm, lasting one hour.
Provisions for learners with special needs run throughout the timetable. Braille candidates receive extended time in every paper, for example 2 hours 30 minutes in Mathematics against two hours for other candidates. Hearing-impaired candidates get additional time in English papers.
Planning ahead as the assessment nears
With the rehearsal day only days away, schools and families have limited time to complete preparations. A few practical steps can help.
Check the kit now. Go through each item on the list and replace anything broken, faded or missing. A cracked ruler, a blunt compass or a calculator with weak batteries can cost a learner valuable time during a paper.
Buy sensibly. Because prices vary by brand and quality, parents do not need to buy the most expensive option. What matters is that the item is accurate and reliable. For the calculator, however, choosing the Casio model the school recommends is worth the extra cost, since it is the single most expensive item on the list.
Carry spares. Spare pens and a sharpened extra HB pencil are inexpensive insurance against exam-day mishaps.
Use the rehearsal day. The rehearsal on October 23 gives learners a chance to settle nerves, learn the routine and test their equipment before the real papers begin.
Mind the timings. Learners should arrive early, since papers begin at 8.30 am each day. The KJSEA’s Thursday and Friday schedules include afternoon sessions, so learners should also plan for meals and rest during the long breaks.
Keeping the focus on learning
Knec’s list is short and the costs are modest compared with the effort learners have put into their studies over the year.
The council’s decision to publish the required items and timetables well ahead of the papers lets families prepare without last-minute pressure.
For Grade 6 and Grade 9 learners alike, the final days before the assessment are best spent revising calmly, sleeping well and making sure the bag is packed.
With the right tools and a clear understanding of the timetable, learners can walk into the exam room confident that nothing has been left to chance.
