A strong majority of learners posted improved outcomes in the 2025 Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA), with three out of four attaining “approaching expectations” and above, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba said on Thursday while releasing the results.
He noted that this year’s assessment paints a clear picture of how learners are progressing under the new system and how ready they are for senior school placement.
Creative Arts and Sports emerged as the best-performed area, with 96.84 percent of learners meeting or going beyond expectations. Agriculture followed closely at 96.2 percent, while Kiswahili and Social Studies posted 93.11 percent and 92.93 percent respectively.
During the event, Ogamba underlined that the assessment is not a traditional exam but a tool that captures each learner’s abilities and growth. “This assessment focuses on identifying learners’ strengths, aptitudes, and interests, ensuring that every child is placed in an environment where they can excel and realize their full potential,” he said.
He explained that the KJSEA was designed to measure competencies that learners have gained through junior school and to guide their pathway choices in senior school, including STEM, Arts and Sports, and Social Sciences.
A total of 1,130,459 learners took part in the 2025 KJSEA, made up of 578,630 male and 551,829 female candidates, representing 51.19 percent and 48.81 percent.
Most learners — 642,620, or 56.84 percent — were in the recommended age bracket of 14 to 15 years. Kilifi had the highest share of overage learners at 64.9 percent, while Baringo recorded the highest proportion of underage candidates at 10.1 percent.
Girls posted better outcomes than boys in 10 out of the 12 subjects tested. The biggest differences were seen in Kiswahili, where girls scored 64.86 percent compared to boys’ 51.41 percent, Christian Religious Education at 59.77 percent against 48.39 percent, and Social Studies at 62.98 percent compared to 54.35 percent.
Mathematics and Kenya Sign Language, however, remained weak areas, with only 32.44 percent and 22.14 percent of learners meeting or exceeding expectations.
The results also showed how learners align with future study tracks, with 59.09 percent demonstrating potential for STEM, 46.52 percent for Social Sciences, and 48.73 percent for Arts and Sports.
Ogamba said placement into senior schools will now begin, guided by learners’ results and pathway choices, and is expected to end by December 20, 2025. “Learners will report to senior schools starting January 12, 2025.
The government will continue to provide capitation at Sh22,244 per learner per year, and there has been no revision of boarding or other fees,” he added.
Learners can access their individual results online through the KNEC portal at https;//kjsea.knec.ac.ke by entering their assessment number and name.
