KNEC Releases New Assessment Schedule For Learners

The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) released a schedule for national exams that will be given to learners in Grades 3, 4, and 5 and marked by the classroom teachers.

Since the implementation of the competency-based curriculum, tests have been an element of formative assessments in the educational system. The assessment tools are uploaded by the council for schools to download and use with the students.

In an effort to reduce printing expenses, KNEC has now provided schools with two choices for accessing the assessment tools. The assessment tools will be accessible on the web in both PDF and digital versions.

David Njeng’ere, KNEC CEO, informed sub-county directors of education, principals of general primary schools, and principals of special primary schools in a circular that the council would upload the KEYA assessment tools to the school’s site on June 5, 2023.

The assessment is undertaken by learners in Grade 3. The tools for integrated learning assessment will be uploaded alongside those for Kenya Foundation Level Education Assessment (KFLEA) which is undertaken by learners with special needs who are unable to follow the regular curriculum.

Along with those for the Kenya Foundation Level Education evaluation (KFLEA), which is completed by students with exceptional needs who are unable to follow the regular curriculum, the tools for integrated learning evaluation will be uploaded.

The teachers will have up to August 11, 2023, to upload the scores on the KNEC portal. The learners will undertake the written assessments for mathematics and English from October 2 to October 26, 2023.

The two tests are used to evaluate the learners’ progress before they go on to upper primary rather than to place them in the next level. Additionally, they are meant to provide information on the effectiveness of the curriculum to KNEC, the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development, and the Teachers Service Commission, TSC.

The scores from the KEYA and KFLEA also do not count for the cumulative final score at the end of the primary school cycle. The tests will be administered and marked by teachers at the school level. According to KNEC, the exercise should be carried out in an ordinary class setting, unlike the traditional national examinations.

Assessment tools for the learners in Grades 4 and 5 will be uploaded onto the school’s portal on July 10, 2023, with teachers given up to August 11 to upload the scores.

They will be assessed in agriculture, art and craft, music, science and technology, social studies, home science, and physical health education. The written assessments for mathematics and English will be between October 2 and 26 2023.

Other subjects will be agriculture, art and craft, science and technology, social studies, home science, physical health education, Kiswahili, Kenya Sign Language, and religious education.

The Grade 4 and 5 assessments will account for 20 percent of the final cumulative score of formative assessment at the end of Grade 6. It is however not used for placement since junior secondary schools (Grades 7, 8, and 9) are domiciled in primary schools.

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