With schools reopening earlier this week, Grade 4 and Standard 8 pupils will start assessment tests on Monday 19th October, meant to determine the learning gaps created by the long closure of schools owing to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Kenya National Examination Council has however clarified that the exams, developed by KNEC, will not be official exams to be used in ranking or comparisons, noting that they’ll be done for purposes of covering possible learning gaps and the effect of the pandemic on learning with a view to inform policy on interventions that need to be in place.
The initial move by KNEC to test pupils days after reopening had caught many by surprise, but KNEC acting CEO Mercy Karogo has said it’s important to establish the entry behaviour of learners after the reopening of schools. Other learners will be assessed upon their return to establish their preparedness to continue with classes in a crash programme.
As part of the released guidelines, headteachers are required to download assessment tools, administer, score and upload the results of the tests on the KNEC portal by November 6th, with the tests administered and scored by teachers at their respective institutions. The tests will be based on content the learners covered before schools were closed in March and they’ll be allowed to complete the tests irrespective of the time allocated.
Grade 4 pupils will be assessed in Maths, English, Swahili, Environmental activities and Science and Technology. Grade 1 to 3 assessed in English, Swahili and Maths. Standard 7 and 8 pupils will be assessed in all the KCPE subjects, while those in Standard 5 and 6 will be assessed in Maths, English, Swahili and Science
