The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) has released the timetable for the 2025 Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA) qualifying test.

In a statement on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, KNEC announced that the tests are set to begin on Monday, June 9, 2025, and run until Wednesday, June 11, 2025.

“KNEC will administer a KJSEA qualifying test from 9th to 11th June 2025. The timetable is available on the KNEC website,” the statement read in part.

This test is a required pathway for learners entering Kenya’s education system from foreign curricula or informal schooling systems.

However, the announcement comes at a time when the country’s examination framework is under intense scrutiny due to a government budget crisis that threatens to disrupt national assessments across the board.

The KJSEA qualifying test

The KJSEA qualifying test is created for learners seeking to join the junior secondary school level under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) but have not followed the usual Kenyan primary education path. The assessment helps determine their placement and ensures that they align with the CBC requirements.

KNEC stated that only learners who have been contacted will sit the test. Upon successful completion and evaluation of the qualifying test, eligible students will be registered for the full KJSEA.

Education sector in turmoil over budget cuts

The administration of this test, however, unfolds against a backdrop of uncertainty following revelations that the 2025/2026 national budget contains no allocation for the KCSE, KPSEA, and JSS assessments. A KSh 62 billion reduction in the education budget has left major stakeholders worried.

According to lawmakers, the omission may force parents to shoulder the financial burden of registering their children for national exams, something that could lock out thousands of learners from low-income families.

“Some activities you can debate, but putting zero budget for exams, are we serious?” asked the National Assembly Education Committee Chair, Julius Melly.

Education Principal Secretary Julius Bitok, when summoned before the committee, admitted that no funds had been allocated but promised ongoing consultations with the Treasury.

The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has not been spared. The commission cited a Ksh 5.7 billion shortfall, claiming that the funding shortage would prohibit it from transferring 20,000 intern teachers to permanent posts.