Last reviewed: 18 October 2026
If you went to school under 8-4-4, a CBC report card can be confusing. There are no percentages at the top, no position in class and no mean grade. Instead you see letters such as EE, ME, AE and BE, and, since the first Grade 9 results in December 2025, sub-levels such as ME1 or AE2 with points from 1 to 8. This guide explains what the levels mean, how they are used in class and in national assessments, and how to read your child’s results without being misled. It is accurate as of October 2026.
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The Four Performance Levels
Competency-Based Education (CBE) reports achievement against what a learner is expected to be able to do at their grade, rather than against other learners. The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) describes four level descriptors under its Competency-Based Assessment Framework (CBAF):
| Level | Short form | What it means in practice |
|---|---|---|
| Exceeding Expectation | EE | The learner can do more than the grade expects, applying skills in new situations. |
| Meeting Expectation | ME | The learner can do what the grade expects, consistently. |
| Approaching Expectation | AE | The learner can do parts of it but needs more practice or support. |
| Below Expectation | BE | The learner has not yet grasped most of the expected skills and needs targeted help. |
The right-hand column is our plain-language summary, not KNEC’s wording. The key point is that “Approaching” and “Below” are not fail grades. As Basic Education PS Julius Bitok put it when the 2025 KJSEA results came out, the levels describe where a learner is, not whether they have failed (K24 Digital).
The 8-Point Scale Used in KJSEA
For the Grade 9 KJSEA, KNEC splits each of the four levels into two, giving an eight-point scale per learning area. These are the descriptors in KNEC’s results circular:
| Level | Sub-level | Points | Mark range (as reported) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exceeding Expectation | EE1 | 8 | 90–100% |
| EE2 | 7 | 75–89% | |
| Meeting Expectation | ME1 | 6 | 58–74% |
| ME2 | 5 | 41–57% | |
| Approaching Expectation | AE1 | 4 | 31–40% |
| AE2 | 3 | 21–30% | |
| Below Expectation | BE1 | 2 | 11–20% |
| BE2 | 1 | 0–10% |
The levels and points come from the KNEC circular on KJSEA results. The mark ranges come from Daily Nation reporting; we have not found them in a published KNEC document, so treat them as a guide. Note how wide the Meeting Expectation band is: a learner on 42% and one on 74% are both “meeting expectations”, which is why the sub-levels were added.
Why There Is No Mean Grade
After the first results, unofficial “school mean score” tables went round on social media. KNEC responded that KJSEA “does not provide an aggregate score”, that each subject is assessed independently, and that there is “no school mean score” (The Star).
You will still hear learners described as scoring, say, “68 points out of 72”. That figure is just the nine learning-area points added together. It is not an official KNEC measure, and it hides the useful information. A child with EE1 in Mathematics and Integrated Science but AE in Creative Arts & Sports has a very different profile from one with ME in everything, even if their totals are similar. When you talk to teachers, talk about each learning area.
How Levels Feed Senior School Placement
Although KNEC publishes no aggregate, the Ministry of Education does combine scores for placement. The final score used for Grade 10 placement is 60% KJSEA, 20% Grade 7 and 8 school-based assessment and 20% KPSEA (The Star, quoting KNEC). Performance in the learning areas linked to each pathway also matters. For example, in 2025 KNEC reported the share of learners showing potential for STEM, Social Sciences and Arts & Sports separately. See senior school placement and pathways.
Levels in Class Reports and KPSEA
In day-to-day class reports, teachers use the same four levels, sometimes with comments or rubrics for each strand of a learning area. KPSEA in Grade 6 also reports by level. If your child’s report shows only letters, ask the teacher which strands pulled the level down. That conversation is far more useful than the letter itself. Read KPSEA explained and school-based assessment explained.
Reading Your Child’s Results: A Checklist
- Look across, not down. Which learning areas are strongest? Those hint at a pathway.
- Find the borderline areas. An AE1 is close to ME2. A few weeks of focused practice can move it.
- Compare with earlier reports. CBE is meant to show growth. A move from AE to ME over a year is real progress.
- Ignore league tables. Rankings by total points are unofficial and do not reflect how placement weighs pathway-specific strengths.
- Keep every report. You may need them when choosing a pathway or appealing a placement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is BE a fail?
No. CBE has no pass or fail. BE means the learner needs targeted support in that area.
What is the highest possible KJSEA result?
EE1 (8 points) in every learning area. Sitting nine learning areas, that would be the “72 points” quoted in the media, though KNEC does not report a total.
Do private schools use the same scale?
Yes for KJSEA and KPSEA, since KNEC assesses all candidates the same way. For internal reports, some private schools add their own percentages or comments.
Sources
- KNEC circular on issuance of KJSEA results and result slips, reproduced by Education News Hub.
- The Star: KNEC explains new KJSEA grading (15 December 2025).
- Daily Nation: How to interpret KJSEA scores.