Kenya’s education system is preparing for a major shift that will see senior school learners leave with both academic results and a separate qualification recognising practical skills, in a new plan targeting the first Competency-Based Education cohort expected to complete studies in 2028.
The approach will apply to more than 1.1 million learners who joined Grade 10 this year, marking a change from the long-standing Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education structure and introducing a model that combines classroom performance with hands-on ability assessment.
Under the new arrangement, learners will be awarded the Kenya Certificate of Basic Education (KCBE) together with a vocational or professional certificate linked to the Kenya National Qualifications Framework.
The skills certificate will also follow standards aligned to the Kenya Standard Classification of Occupations (KeSCO), capturing what each learner has been able to do in both school and workplace-related settings.
The reform is designed to create different routes after senior school, allowing learners to move into artisan work, craft training, diploma studies or university education depending on their performance and competencies developed during the three-year senior school period.
Knec Chief Executive Officer David Njengere said the plan is meant to strengthen how learners are recognised under the Competency-Based Education system.
“Dual certification is aligned to the mission of the Competency-Based Education (CBE) system, which seeks to nurture the potential of every learner. For learners who are able and interested, the Kenya National Examinations Council (Knec) will provide an opportunity to pursue certification recognised by industry. We plan to pilot this concept in 2027, when the first senior school cohort— currently in Grade 10—will have had sufficient engagement with the curriculum,” said Knec chief executive officer, Dr David Njengere as quoted by Daily Nation.
Knec Director of Test Development Wilson Chelimo said the reforms aim to ensure learners leave school with skills that match real work environments, not only academic grades.
“Senior school is designed to prepare learners not only for university education, but also for technical training, entrepreneurship and direct entry into the world of work,” said Dr Chelimo.
He explained that the new certification system is anchored on the Kenya National Qualifications Framework, which places secondary education and vocational training at Level Three, allowing both learning paths to be assessed under a common structure.
Chelimo said learners in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), Social Sciences, and Arts and Sports Science will all have their practical abilities formally measured and certified under the new approach.
He added that assessment methods will change to focus more on application of knowledge rather than memorisation of content.
“The shift is from passive learning to a participatory approach where learners actively apply knowledge to real-world scenarios,” he said.
Knec plans to work more closely with schools, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions, universities, industry groups and professional bodies to ensure training reflects labour market expectations.
Assessment under the new system will include projects, simulations, laboratory work, workplace exposure and evaluation against occupational standards. Learners will also be required to maintain portfolios showing project work, digital records, reflections and supervisor feedback as proof of their competencies.
Knec Principal Examinations Officer Asman Amaunda said the change is aimed at correcting gaps where academic grades alone fail to show what learners can actually do.
He said the reforms respond to global shifts in education and employment trends.
“The reforms respond to the global shift towards competency-based and applied learning. Dual certification addresses persistent skills mismatches, weak employer confidence, the marginalisation of learners with practical, technical or creative strengths, and duplication across school, TVET and training systems,” he said.
Amaunda added that the occupational certificate will be tied to both the Kenya National Qualifications Framework and KeSCO standards.
“It will provide a clear, portable and labour-market–recognised certification. It will also recognise diverse forms of learner competence while enhancing relevance, equity and efficiency across the education-to-work interface,” said Mr Amaunda.
He said learners will leave senior school with both academic and occupational qualifications that support movement into further training, employment or entrepreneurship.
The dual certification plan comes as Kenya continues to phase out the 8-4-4 system in favour of the CBE model, which prioritises creativity, innovation and practical learning.
Under the new structure, learners will be assessed through continuous school-based tasks, practical projects, simulations and workplace-based learning instead of relying only on final written examinations.
They will also compile portfolios of evidence showing their work, reflections and validated assessments from supervisors and instructors.
Education stakeholders say the changes are aimed at reducing the gap between school learning and labour market needs, while also recognising learners with technical and creative strengths who were previously overlooked.
The framework also seeks to strengthen pathways into employment, TVET institutions, entrepreneurship and university education by ensuring that both skills and academic performance are formally recognised.
To ensure consistency and quality, the system will include national moderation, external checks and closer coordination between the Ministry of Education, Knec, the Kenya National Qualifications Authority and industry partners.