Last reviewed: 24 October 2026
The 2026 Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA) starts with English on Monday 26 October 2026. For many Grade 9 candidates this is the first national paper they have sat since KPSEA in Grade 6, so a calm, well-planned first morning sets the tone for the whole week. This guide covers the timing from the KNEC timetable, what each paper is for, and practical tips for learners and parents.
On this page
The Two English Papers and Their Times
According to the KNEC 2026 KJSEA Timetable and Instructions (reference KNEC/TD/SE/KJSEA/TT/2026/003), Day 1 has two standard papers:
- 901/1 English Language: 8.30 to 10.10 am (1 hour 40 minutes).
- 901/2 English (Composition and Literary Analysis): 11.10 am to 12.55 pm (1 hour 45 minutes).
There is a break between the two papers. Candidates using Braille or hearing-impaired versions get extra time on the same day; the school will already have registered your child for the right version. Our full KJSEA 2026 timetable lists every paper in the week.
Paper 1: Language Skills
The first paper tests how well a learner understands and uses English: reading passages, grammar and vocabulary in context. The most common way marks are lost is not lack of knowledge but rushing. Encourage your child to:
- Read each question stem twice before looking at the passage again.
- Underline the key word in a question, such as “opposite”, “closest in meaning” or “which sentence is correct”.
- Answer every item. A blank earns nothing, while a careful best guess might.
- Leave five minutes at the end to check that every answer is clearly marked.
Paper 2: Composition and Literary Analysis
The second paper asks learners to write and to respond to texts. A good composition does not need fancy words. Markers look for a clear structure, correct paragraphs, a beginning that answers the question set, and an ending that closes the story or argument. A simple plan helps:
- Spend about five minutes jotting down the main points in order.
- Write an opening sentence that links directly to the title or prompt.
- Use one paragraph for each main idea.
- Keep the last few minutes to read through for spelling, punctuation and missing words.
KNEC’s instructions say the time shown on the paper includes reading time, and no extra time is given. Planning is therefore part of the 1 hour 45 minutes, not something added on.
Rules That Matter From the First Paper
Candidates must be seated 15 minutes before each paper, which means by 8.15 am on Monday. Anyone more than half an hour late is only given a paper in exceptional circumstances. Phones and other electronic communication devices are banned, and a candidate found with one will have their results cancelled. Pens must be black or blue ink and not erasable. Read more in our guide to KJSEA explained.
What Parents Can Do on Sunday Night
The evening before is not the time for new topics. Lay out uniform, two working pens, pencils, a ruler and a geometry set. Agree a wake-up time that allows breakfast and an unhurried journey. A short read-through of a composition your child wrote earlier in the term, with your praise for what went well, is far more useful than a late-night drill. Then let them sleep.
How English Fits Into Placement
English is one of the nine KJSEA learning areas, and each is reported on an eight-point scale from EE1 (8 points) to BE2 (1 point). KJSEA counts for 60% of the score used for senior school placement, alongside 20% from Grade 7 and 8 school-based assessment and 20% from KPSEA. Our KJSEA grade calculator shows how the levels and points work.
A Last Practice Before Monday
If your child wants one final timed run, our online revision papers let them try the first five questions of every paper free, and the What to Revise report shows which topics to look at again. For full papers across all nine learning areas during exam week, the Monthly Pass costs KSh 500 and can be paid by M-Pesa.
Ten-minute check: try the free Grade 9 CBC Challenge. It has 10 questions, each marked on the spot with the working, and it shows which topics to practise next.