Students in Kenya sit for national exams in Class 8 and again at the end of Form Four. These exams mark the end of primary school and high school.
The Kenya Certificate of Primary Education exam covers five main subjects: Mathematics, English, Swahili, Social Studies, and Science and Religious Studies. Each of these subjects is evaluated through a combination of multiple choice and short answer questions as well as English and Swahili compositions. Each subject is worth a maximum of 100 points and students are therefore graded from 0 to 500 marks overall. The exams are administered over a period of 5 days at the end of each Class 8 academic year. Performance on the KCPE exam is often a key measure in admission to high school and 250 marks is widely considered the passing level. Roughly 25% of students nation-wide will score over 300 marks. Students who score below 200 marks are ineligible for secondary school admission, however these students may join local youth polytechnics.
The Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education examines seven subject areas. This includes three compulsory subjects of Mathematics, English, and Swahili as well as two sciences, one humanities course, and one technical or practical subject. Students can choose which subjects they would like to study starting from their second year in high school, Form 2. The humanities courses include history and government, geography, and religious education. Practical and technical subjects include foreign languages as well as computer studies, business studies, agriculture, and home science. The exams include written short answer and essay questions as well as practical exercises for science and technical courses, and oral exams for foreign languages.
Students sit for the KCSE exam at the end of their fourth year of high school and the exam period covers one full month. An average score of C+ or above is required for admission to degree programs in public and private universities. Students who score a B+ or above can qualify for government sponsorship loans through the Higher Education Loan Board. Those with scores below C+ may participate in short certificate or diploma level courses depending on the institution. Some colleges also offer bridging courses which allow graduates to address deficiencies and then qualify for admission to degree programs.
Schools make great efforts to prepare their students for the KCPE and KCSE exams through the eight years of primary and four years of secondary education. These exams are considered the culmination of primary and secondary school and the Certificates of Primary and Secondary Education are recognized nation-wide. Since the results of the KCPE and KCSE exams determine future educational opportunity, these exams are approached with much anxiety on the part of students as well as parents and teachers. There have been widespread allegations of cheating in the past, but strict controls have been established by the Ministry of Education to ensure that the exams are administered fairly across the country.