Keep the Papers Off WhatsApp: KNEC Cautions Teachers Ahead of Term Three SBA
The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) has made available the School Based Assessment (SBA) tools for the third term of 2026.
Primary and junior schools can now download the materials and begin administering them to learners in Grades 3, 4, 5, 7 and 8.
The tools are available on the KNEC Competency Based Assessment (CBA) portal from today, 28th September 2026. The council has directed that all learners’ scores be uploaded by 23rd October 2026.
The directive is contained in a circular reference KNEC/GEN/TD/SE/SBA/GUI/2026/03, dated 14th August 2026 and signed by the KNEC Chief Executive Officer, David Njengere. It is titled “Guidelines and Schedule for the Year 2026 School Based Assessment – Written Tests and Performance Tasks.”
Projects and practicals in term two, written tests in term three
Under the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC), SBA is conducted every year and is divided across two terms.
In the second term, learners undertake projects and practical tasks that let teachers observe how they apply knowledge and skills.
In the third term, they sit written tests. The written tests now being released are therefore the second half of the yearly SBA cycle.
The assessment targets Grades 3, 4 and 5 in primary school, and Grades 7 and 8 in junior school. Grade 6 learners are exempted so they can prepare for the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA), the final assessment at the end of primary school.
Grade 9 learners are similarly spared to prepare for the Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA), which closes the junior school cycle.
What the circular provides
KNEC will upload the following on the CBA portal:
- The Kenya Early Years Assessment (KEYA) for Grade 3
- Kenya Foundation Level Education Assessment (KFLEA) tools for the Stage Based Curriculum
- School Based Assessment tools for Grades 4, 5, 7 and 8
Grade 3 learners will sit written tests in Mathematics and English Activities. Learners with special needs at the foundation level will undertake performance tasks in Activities of Daily Living, and in Communication, Social and Pre-Literacy Skills.
For Grades 4 and 5, the written tests cover Mathematics, English, Kiswahili, Kenyan Sign Language, Agriculture, Science and Technology, Social Studies, Religious Education (CRE, IRE or HRE) and Creative Arts.
For Grades 7 and 8, the subjects are Mathematics, English, Kiswahili, Kenyan Sign Language, Social Studies, Religious Education (CRE, IRE or HRE), Integrated Science, Agriculture, Creative Arts and Sports, and Pre-Technical Studies.
How schools should access the tools
Headteachers are required to log in to the CBA portal at https://cba.knec.ac.ke. Those who have forgotten their passwords can reset them using the “forgot password” function on the portal.
KNEC has also published a detailed user manual on the portal. It explains, step by step, how to access the tools, follow the instructions, use the scoring guides and upload learners’ scores.
School heads and assessment coordinators are advised to read it before starting, to avoid errors during the upload stage.
Printing, records and evidence
The circular sets out several practical requirements. Assessment tools that contain colour images must be printed in colour or loaded onto digital devices available in the school.
Schools that cannot print in colour should therefore plan early, since the quality of images may determine whether learners can respond to some questions.
Headteachers have also been asked to keep all records and evidence generated from the assessments. This documentation supports the credibility of the results and may be required for verification.
The council expects schools to administer the tools and performance tasks, score them, and upload the outcomes of all learners within the stipulated timeframe.
KNEC notes that the published schedule is meant to help schools prepare and plan adequately.
Warning against sharing materials on social media
KNEC has warned teachers against sharing the assessment resources in social media groups. In the past, materials circulated in such groups have ended up in the hands of learners before they sit the papers, undermining the purpose of the assessment.
The council has described such conduct as a serious violation that could have dire consequences for schools and teachers. Educators who download the tools are expected to treat them as confidential until they are administered.
The warning builds on earlier appeals in which KNEC asked schools to uphold integrity in the assessments.
The council has stressed that SBA results form key information about the status of learners and the competencies they have acquired. Compromised assessments distort that picture, and can lead to poor decisions on learner support and progression.
KNEC has also made clear that responsibility rests with heads of institutions. Headteachers are expected to put safeguards in place, from controlling who can access the tools on the portal to supervising printing, storage and administration.
Timing: the last assessment before the long holiday
Many schools are expected to begin the assessments in October, and this will serve as the final examination before schools close for the long holiday.
Schools are scheduled to close on 24th October, although the majority of secondary schools will close a week earlier.
Since the last date for uploading scores is 23rd October, the window is tight. Schools must fit administration, marking, scoring and uploading into roughly four weeks, alongside other end-of-year activities.
School managers are therefore advised to draw up a timetable for the assessments quickly and to assign clear responsibilities to teachers.
Guidance for schools
Education stakeholders say the tight schedule calls for early planning. Several steps stand out:
- Confirm portal access now. Headteachers should log in immediately and reset any forgotten passwords rather than wait until the assessment week.
- Read the user manual. The step-by-step guide on the portal covers accessing tools, using scoring guides and uploading scores.
- Prepare printing or digital arrangements. Papers with colour images need colour printing or loading onto school devices.
- Secure the materials. Tools should be kept confidential until the day of the assessment, with restricted access among staff.
- Keep evidence. All records and evidence generated from the assessments should be retained.
- Upload on time. Scores for all learners should be entered on the portal before 23rd October 2026.
Why the assessments matter
School Based Assessment is a central feature of the CBC. Rather than judging learners only through a single terminal examination, the system gathers evidence of learning over time, through projects, practical tasks and written tests.
The results feed into records that follow learners as they progress through the levels of basic education.
For that reason, the credibility of SBA depends heavily on how carefully schools administer it. When tools leak or scores are inflated, the record no longer reflects what a learner can actually do.
Teachers, parents and policymakers then lose the information they need to give each learner the right support.
By setting a clear schedule, providing a detailed user manual and spelling out the responsibilities of headteachers, KNEC aims to give schools what they need to run the term-three assessments smoothly and with integrity.
Looking ahead
With the tools now available on the CBA portal, the responsibility shifts to schools. Headteachers and teachers have until 23rd October 2026 to administer the assessments, score them and upload the outcomes.
Those who follow the circular closely, protect the confidentiality of the papers and keep proper records will help ensure that the results give a true picture of learners’ progress as the school year closes.
