KJSEA 2026 Religious Education (CRE) Sample Questions with Answers

KJSEA runs 26 to 30 October, with the rehearsal on Friday 23 October. Religious Education is one of the nine learning areas, and for most candidates that means CRE.

CRE has a reputation as the easy paper. It is not easy, it is forgiving. A learner who knows the stories but answers loosely will lose marks quietly, one vague sentence at a time. The practice below is written to show where those marks go.

These are our own practice questions in the Grade 9 style. They are not KNEC questions and nobody has the real paper. For the full picture of how Religious Education is set out, read our CRE, IRE and HRE revision guide.

Part A: multiple choice

1. On which day of creation, according to Genesis 1, did God create human beings?
A. Fourth   B. Fifth   C. Sixth   D. Seventh

Answer: C. Human beings were created on the sixth day, in the image of God. The seventh day was the day God rested, which is the usual wrong answer.

2. God called Abraham to leave his home and go to a land He would show him. Which value does Abraham's response mainly teach?
A. Wealth   B. Faith and obedience   C. Courage in battle   D. Leadership

Answer: B. Abraham left without knowing where he was going. That is the textbook example of faith and obedience.

3. Where did Moses receive the Ten Commandments?
A. Mount Carmel   B. Mount Sinai   C. Mount of Olives   D. Mount Zion

Answer: B. Mount Carmel is where Elijah faced the prophets of Baal. Learners mix the two mountains up every year.

4. In the parable of the Good Samaritan, who helped the wounded man?
A. A priest   B. A Levite   C. A Samaritan   D. An innkeeper

Answer: C. The priest and the Levite passed by. The innkeeper cared for the man, but only after the Samaritan brought him and paid.

5. Which event in Acts 2 marks the coming of the Holy Spirit on the disciples?
A. The Ascension   B. Pentecost   C. The Transfiguration   D. The Last Supper

Answer: B. Pentecost. The Ascension comes before it, in Acts 1.

Part B: short structured questions

6. State three lessons Christians learn from the story of creation. (3 marks)

• God is the creator of everything, so creation should be respected.
• Human beings are special because they were made in God's image.
• People are given the duty to take care of the environment.

Also accepted: work is good, rest is important, God created everything good. One clear point per mark. Three short sentences beat one long paragraph.

7. Give two reasons why Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal at Mount Carmel. (2 marks)

• To show the people of Israel that the God of Israel was the true God.
• To turn the people away from worshipping Baal and back to God.

8. Identify three ways a Grade 9 learner can show the love taught in the parable of the Good Samaritan. (3 marks)

• Helping a classmate who is sick or injured.
• Sharing food or learning materials with a needy learner.
• Visiting or comforting someone who is lonely, regardless of their tribe or background.

This is an application question. The examiner wants actions a learner can actually do. "Being kind" alone is too vague to earn the mark.

9. Name three gifts of the Holy Spirit. (3 marks)

Any three of: wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, working miracles, prophecy, speaking in tongues, interpreting tongues, discernment of spirits (1 Corinthians 12). Do not confuse these with the fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace and so on), which is a separate list.

10. Explain two ways the church in Kenya helps the community today. (4 marks)

• Education: the church sponsors schools and pays fees for needy learners, helping children who would otherwise miss school.
• Health: the church runs hospitals and dispensaries, giving treatment to people in areas with few health facilities.

"Explain" for 4 marks means two points, each with a reason. A bare list of "schools, hospitals" earns about half.

Where CRE marks are lost

Mark-earning habits for the last three weeks

• Read the command word first. State, identify, give, explain, describe. Each asks for a different length of answer.
• One point, one line. Examiners mark points, not paragraphs. Separate lines make each point easy to find and tick.
• Learn stories in threes. For every major story, know what happened, what it teaches, and how a learner today can apply it. That covers almost every question type.
• Practise with time on the clock. Knowing the answer slowly is not the same as writing it in the time allowed.
• Mark against a scheme, not memory. A parent with an answer booklet can check a paper at home in twenty minutes. Our guide on marking a paper at home shows how.

How to use these questions

Have your child do all ten without the Bible or notes, in about twenty minutes. Then mark with the answers above. Anything wrong goes onto a short list to revisit on Thursday and again on Sunday. That spaced return is what makes it stick.

Once these are comfortable, move to full papers. A full paper tests stamina and timing, which ten questions cannot. The three week revision timetable shows where CRE fits among the other learning areas.

Frequently asked questions

Are these the actual KJSEA CRE questions?

No. They are practice questions written in the Grade 9 style. Anyone selling the real paper before the exam is running a scam.

My child takes IRE or HRE, not CRE. Is this useful?

The habits are the same: command words, one point per mark, real applications. The content is different, so use practice written for their option.

How much time should CRE get in the last three weeks?

Less than Mathematics or English, but not none. Two or three focused sessions a week, each with a short set of questions and marking, is enough for most learners.

Should my child memorise Bible verses word for word?

Not usually. Knowing the story, the reference book and the lesson matters more than exact wording. Accurate names and places matter a great deal.

For full timed practice with answers, the KJSEA Religious Education predictive papers follow the Grade 9 format, and the KJSEA Complete Bundle covers all nine learning areas.