The Kenya National Council of Examinations (KNES) uses a grading system to evaluate the exam performance of students appearing for the KCSE examinations. Currently, KСSE results are determined by a 12-paint grade system. This grade will determine the type of tertiary institution a student can attend.
The KSEE grading system attempts to measure the breadth or depth of learning in Kenyan schools. It also measures the level and quality of performance of the students. In previous years, KNES used the grading system as the standard measure of relating to students.
But that has changed as the Department of Education uses it as a tool to assess learning. Students can use the system to reveal their next learning steps. For example, students who score B+ in biology, maths and English may choose to learn medicine at university.
Although a student can appear in national examinations, KNE cannot provide average grades to the student due to several reasons. This can worsen when a student does not meet the requirements set for obtaining a certificate
In this case, a candidate would have a grade of:
U – Indicates that a candidate does not meet the criteria for award of a certificate.
W – Indicates that KNE has withheld the results of a candidate due to various reasons.
X – Indicates that a candidate was not present during the examination.
Y – Indicates that KNE has canceled the candidate’s results due to irregularities.
Z – Indicates that the candidate has not fulfilled the registration requirements.
KNEs grade candidates who sit for 7 or more KSE subjects during national examinations. The examination body puts all the subjects into five groups.
The table below shows the grades and marks and their respective marks based on the current KESE grading system.
Exam Marking
During the marking of KSE exams, KNE does not give percentage marks to the candidates to obtain a specific grade. Instead, they publish the KСSE grades and marks to reflect the general performance of the students. The examination body combines expert judgment and statistics to set the grades to arrive at a favorable grade range.
The rules of the exam are not the same. They differ in difficulty. Thus, experts set grade limits to reflect the current performance of all students. The aim is to ensure that candidates do not get low grades because they sat for a more difficult mate than in previous years. After the grade limits are agreed upon, KNE links them to the students’ scores to give them a grade.
KSE Examiners are experienced teachers in the respective subjects. The examination body selects them carefully and trains them before marking the examinations. While marking the examinations they should use the same standards so that KNEES can provide correct grades to the students.
Senior examiners can do a final check on all the marks before the school can get the result. The objective is to ensure that there are no errors and that the standards were met during the marking of the exam.
The Kenya National Examinations Council does not use percentages in the grading system. They replace them with letter grades to make them an average grade. Kenyan universities do not use the percentage of KСSE results when enrolling students.
Instead, they use the mean grade to determine a student’s rank in the combined examinations. This strategy means that the KSE grading system gives a better measure of student performance than the traditional marking system. KСSE Grading System 2021