Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka has criticized the new KJSEA assessment system as a confusing mess with no global recognition. Education Minister Julius Migos defended the results, stating they nurture students' talents and ensure all will join secondary school. The debate highlights tensions between opposition and government over Kenya's education policies.
Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka addressed the Kikuyu Council of Elders in Kiambu County on December 13, 2025, labeling Kenya's education system a 'complete mess' that endangers the youth. He decried the shift from the A-to-E grading to the new EE-to-AE system as confusing and unnecessary, lacking international recognition. 'The future belongs to you. And we are going to make sure it is bright. It will not be messed up by any administration,' Kalonzo told the elders and youth representatives.
While not opposing the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), Kalonzo called for a national review to produce employable graduates. 'Before Kenyans become accustomed to a system that lacks global recognition, we must interrogate it for the benefit of our young people,' he added. He also criticized funding cuts, noting the government had quietly slashed capitation, and accused Basic Education Principal Secretary Julius Bitok of failing to reveal underfunding in public schools. Rising fees, he warned, would push thousands of poor students out of class.
In response, Education Minister Julius Migos praised the KJSEA results released on Thursday, speaking at a thanksgiving event for the Abagusii community in Nairobi on December 13. He defended the realistic assessment for promoting transparency and inclusion, with nearly all of the 1,130,000 students joining secondary school on January 12, 2026. 'We told Kenyans that, out of 1,130,000 students who sat the exam, there were only seven cheating cases in two subjects from two schools,' Migos said. The new system has no failures; it measures personal progress: exceeding expectations, meeting them, approaching, or below. 'All who sat this exam passed,' Migos emphasized, noting it allows paths based on strengths like arts, sciences, or sports.
Kalonzo was accompanied by senior Wiper officials and Ukambani MPs, receiving an enthusiastic welcome from the elders at national chairperson Wachira Kiago's home.