Under the Competency Based Curriculum, learners are not ranked by marks alone. They are placed on performance levels that describe how well they have met the expectations for their grade. This guide explains the four levels used in primary school, the eight levels used for the Grade 9 KJSEA, how the national assessments are weighted, and how to turn all of this into report comments parents understand.
The four performance levels
From pre-primary to Grade 6, learners are described by four levels.
| Level | Meaning | Points | What it looks like in class |
|---|---|---|---|
| EE | Exceeding Expectations | 4 | Does the task correctly and independently, and can apply it to new situations or explain it to others. |
| ME | Meeting Expectations | 3 | Does the task correctly with little or no help. This is the level the curriculum aims for. |
| AE | Approaching Expectations | 2 | Does part of the task, or needs some help to complete it. |
| BE | Below Expectations | 1 | Cannot yet do the task, even with help. Needs targeted support. |
Is there an official percentage for each level?
For classroom tests, no. KNEC does not publish percentage cut-offs for school exams at this level. Many schools use 76 / 51 / 26 (76% and above EE, 51-75% ME, 26-50% AE, below 26% BE), and some use 80 / 50 / 30. Choose one, write it on your report card's level guide, and use it consistently all year.
KPSEA (Grade 6)
The Kenya Primary School Education Assessment is taken at the end of Grade 6. Learners sit five papers: English, Mathematics, Kiswahili, Integrated Science, and Creative Arts and Social Studies. Results are reported as performance levels from 1 to 4, where 4 is Exceeding Expectations. The final KPSEA result combines 60% school-based assessment (Grades 4 to 6) with 40% from the KPSEA papers.
Be wary of result slips showing exact percentages. KNEC publishes no percentage cut-offs for KPSEA, and slips that circulated with them were shown to be fake.
The 8-level scale used for KJSEA (Grade 9)
The Kenya Junior School Education Assessment, first sat in 2025, splits each of the four levels into two, giving eight levels with points from 8 down to 1.
| Level | Points | Score band (%) |
|---|---|---|
| EE1 | 8 | 90 - 100 |
| EE2 | 7 | 75 - 89 |
| ME1 | 6 | 58 - 74 |
| ME2 | 5 | 41 - 57 |
| AE1 | 4 | 31 - 40 |
| AE2 | 3 | 21 - 30 |
| BE1 | 2 | 11 - 20 |
| BE2 | 1 | 1 - 10 |
The final KJSEA result is a composite: 20% from KPSEA, 20% from school-based assessment in Grades 7 and 8, and 60% from the KJSEA papers in Grade 9. Learners receive levels, not raw marks, and there is no national ranking. The result feeds placement into a senior school pathway: STEM, Social Sciences, or Arts and Sports Science.
Because KJSEA uses this scale, most schools also use it for their own Grade 7 to Grade 12 exams, so learners and parents see the same levels all the way through.
Worked examples
Converting marks to levels
A Grade 8 learner scores 43 out of 50 in Mathematics. 43 ÷ 50 × 100 = 86%. On the 8-level scale, 86% is in the 75-89 band, so the level is EE2 (7 points).
A Grade 5 learner scores 18 out of 30 in Science and Technology. 18 ÷ 30 × 100 = 60%. With a 76 / 51 / 26 split, 60% is ME (3 points).
A Grade 9 learner scores 39%. That is in the 31-40 band: AE1 (4 points). Only two more percentage points would move them to ME2, which is worth telling them.
No positions: what to put on report cards instead
CBC policy discourages class positions and mean-score league tables, and in December 2025 KNEC warned schools against publishing "school mean" analyses of KJSEA. A report card should instead show, for each learning area, the mark or percentage, the level, the points and a short comment, followed by values, competencies, co-curricular activities and attendance. Always include a level guide so parents can read it.
Comments that help parents
Describe what the learner can do, what to work on next, and how home can help. Avoid comments that only repeat the level.
- Instead of "Good work, ME", write "Solves simultaneous equations confidently; next, word problems. Ask her to form equations from shopping receipts at home."
- Instead of "Below expectations, work harder", write "Reads short passages well but struggles with longer ones. Reading one page aloud each evening will help."
- Instead of "Excellent", write "Explains experiments clearly and helps classmates. Ready for the challenge questions in the revision book."
Quick answers
- Is ME a pass? Yes. Meeting Expectations means the learner has achieved what the curriculum expects. EE means they have gone beyond it.
- Can a learner "fail" CBC? There is no pass or fail. A BE level means the learner needs support in that area, and the school should plan it.
- Do KJSEA results come with marks? No. Learners receive levels and points, not raw marks.
Let the mark book do the conversion. On Elimu254 a teacher types the marks and the level fills itself in, EE to BE up to Grade 6 and EE1 to BE2 from Grade 7, with report cards ready to print.
