REPORT: Nearly Half of Kenyans Concerned About the New CBE Grading System
Under the controversial Competency-Based Curriculum system, nearly half of Kenyans are dissatisfied with how the government assigns grades to children.
This is based on a recent Infotrak nationwide opinion survey that was carried out in all 47 counties between December 2025 and January 2026.
Only 38% of the 1,000 adult Kenyans surveyed expressed satisfaction with the CBC grading system, while 45% expressed dissatisfaction.
In the meantime, 17% of respondents were still undecided about the grading scheme that was implemented to take the place of conventional letter grades.
An even more dire picture was drawn by regional differences, with North Eastern Kenya having the highest rate of discontent at an astounding 80%.
Strong regional discontent with the grading methodology was indicated by the Coast region’s 55% unhappiness rate and the Eastern region’s 50%.
Nearly half of the respondents in the Nairobi and Nyanza regions expressed unhappiness with the assessment system, demonstrating significant worry.
According to the report, discontent is nearly equal for both genders, indicating that the country’s grading issues go across demographic divides.
Grade 10 transition survey:
— Citizen TV Kenya (@citizentvkenya) January 29, 2026
Infotrak poll shows fees and uniforms are major obstacles
Infotrak: 39% of parents blame school fees and uniforms
Infotrak: 33% say CBE has compromised the quality of education#CitizenBriefs pic.twitter.com/FwyQuTP8LD
However, age-based analysis found stronger opposition among older respondents, notably those aged 46 years and above, who typically have school-going children.
Julius Ogamba, the cabinet secretary for education, has defended the system, stating that the new marking system highlights students’ skills starting in Grade 10.
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The new approach considers specific competencies rather than just rote memory, according to Ogamba, who acknowledged challenges during the Grade 9 to 10 transition.
President William Ruto has also maintained a firm stance on CBC, dismissing criticisms of broken Grade 10 placements as political and defending merit-based selection.
The dissatisfaction aligns with broader concerns about CBC implementation, including high education costs at 39 per cent cited by respondents in the poll.
Additionally, 19 per cent of respondents complained about a lack of adequate information and guidance on the system, which undermines public confidence in grading.
REPORT: Nearly Half of Kenyans Concerned About the New CBE Grading System
