Only 38% of Kenyans satisfied with CBE Grading System – Poll

Pupils in class during an exam./FILE

A recent nationwide survey shows that just 38 per cent of Kenyans are satisfied with the Competency-Based Education (CBE) grading system.

This is according to data released by Infotrak Research & Consulting Limited on Thursday.

The survey, conducted between December 2025 and January 2026, found that 45 percent of respondents were dissatisfied with the grading framework, while 17 percent said they did not know or had no opinion.

The CBC system, which uses categories such as “Exceeds Expectation (EE),” “Meets Expectation (ME),” “Approaching Expectation (AE),” and “Below Expectation (BE) ,” has been in place for several years to assess learners’ competencies rather than traditional exam scores.

The poll surveyed 1,000 adults aged 18 and above across all 47 counties and eight regions of Kenya, using Population Proportionate to Size (PPS) sampling guided by the 2019 Census.

Data collection was carried out through Computer Assisted Telephone Interviews (CATI), achieving a 99 percent response rate, with a margin of error of ±3.10 percent at a 95 percent confidence level.

Infotrak’s findings reflect ongoing debates about the CBE system, with critics citing challenges in teacher training, grading consistency, and public understanding of the new assessment approach.

Supporters, however, argue that the system better captures students’ skills and holistic development than previous exam-oriented frameworks.