- Many teachers still lack practical training on guiding learners and documenting assessment evidence.
- TSC, KNEC, KICD and school administrators have been urged to widen retooling efforts and provide continuous professional support to all teachers implementing CBC.
The ongoing Grade 10 School-Based Assessment (SBA) has given educators an opportunity to see the Competency-Based Curriculum from a different angle. For learners, it is a chance to move beyond memorising content and demonstrate what they can actually do.
There is something encouraging about watching learners develop projects, discuss ideas, solve problems, communicate their findings and work together. Creativity and innovation are coming to the fore, and some learners who may not always shine in conventional examinations are getting an opportunity to demonstrate their abilities.
KNEC deserves recognition for introducing an assessment approach that gives greater attention to practical competencies and the learner’s ability to apply knowledge. The 2026 Grade 10 SBA schedule and instructions provide guidance on the implementation of these assessments. However, as an educator observing the implementation at the school level, I feel there is another conversation we need to have: are all teachers adequately prepared to guide learners through this new assessment approach?
TSC has started well, but more teachers need to be reached
The Teachers Service Commission deserves commendation for the retooling programmes it has undertaken to prepare teachers for the changing demands of CBC. Teachers who have gone through the training are already making a difference in their schools. In many cases, these teachers have become a source of support to their colleagues, explaining the requirements, sharing their experiences and helping others understand how to approach the assessment. This kind of professional support is valuable and should be encouraged.
But we should not stop there. The reality in schools is that not every teacher has had the same opportunity for retooling. Some teachers are still trying to understand what is expected of them, particularly when it comes to guiding learners through projects and documenting the assessment process. This is not necessarily because teachers are unwilling to learn; CBC has introduced new ways of teaching and assessing, and teachers need time, training and practical support to adjust. TSC should therefore consider extending and strengthening retooling so that every teacher involved in CBC implementation gets the opportunity to be trained.
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Reading an assessment guideline is not always enough. A teacher may understand the theory behind competency-based assessment but still be uncertain about what to do when a learner presents a project in front of them. How should the learner be guided without the teacher doing the work? What evidence should be collected? How should a portfolio be developed? Where appropriate, how should photographs or video recordings be used to demonstrate the learner’s participation and progress? How should the assessment criteria be applied fairly? These are some of the practical issues that teachers need to understand. KNEC guidance places an important role on teachers in supervising and assessing learners and maintaining appropriate records and evidence, so it is important that teachers receive practical demonstrations, not just written instructions.
Let trained teachers support their colleagues, and take evidence seriously
The teachers who have already been retooled can be a great resource. Schools can create opportunities for them to share their knowledge with colleagues through professional learning sessions, demonstrations and discussions, since a teacher who has already gone through the process can often explain it in a way that another teacher understands more easily. TSC and KNEC could strengthen this approach by training facilitators at different levels who can support schools continuously. Such training should not be a one-off event. As new grades and new components of CBC are introduced, teachers will need refresher training and opportunities to ask questions arising from actual classroom experiences.
One area that deserves particular attention is evidence. The learner should be able to show that the project was actually carried out and that he or she participated in the process. Depending on the requirements of the particular assessment, evidence may include a portfolio, photographs, recordings, written work, reports, prototypes or other appropriate documentation. The final product is important, but the journey is equally important. This is where a well-trained teacher becomes essential, since teachers need a common understanding of what evidence is required and how it should be kept so that assessment remains credible and fair.
We cannot discuss SBA without talking about resources. Projects require materials, time and supervision. Some schools may have adequate facilities while others have to rely heavily on locally available and improvised materials. School administrators therefore have an important role to play; they need to plan for SBA, provide reasonable resources and create time for teachers and learners to undertake the projects properly. Schools can also create spaces where learners display their work, such as a simple room or designated area that becomes a useful innovation or maker space, where learners exhibit projects, exchange ideas and learn from one another. Such spaces would also allow education officials to visit schools and see the innovations emerging from CBC at the grassroots level.
The success of SBA cannot be left to KNEC or teachers alone. KNEC should continue refining assessment guidelines and providing practical examples. TSC should continue with teacher retooling and ensure that the opportunity reaches all teachers who require it. KICD should continue supporting teachers with curriculum designs and materials that make the link between learning, competencies and assessment clear. The Ministry of Education should provide the policy and resource support required for effective implementation. School administrators, too, must create an environment where teachers can learn from one another and where learners have the resources and time to complete their projects.
Most importantly, teachers should be encouraged to ask questions and seek clarification. There should be no shame in saying, “I need to understand this better.” Education is changing, and teachers are also learners in this transition.
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The enthusiasm surrounding learner projects is encouraging, but behind every successful SBA project is a teacher who has guided, encouraged and monitored the learner. If we want learners to become creative thinkers, problem-solvers and innovators, we must first give their teachers the knowledge and confidence to nurture those qualities. TSC has made a commendable start through teacher retooling. The next step should be to widen the reach and make continuous professional support available to every teacher implementing CBC.
The success of Grade 10 SBA should not only be measured by the projects displayed at the end. It should also be seen in the confidence teachers gain, the skills learners acquire and the ability of our schools to make learning more practical and meaningful. Retooling the teacher is therefore not an additional burden on the education system; it is an investment in the success of CBC itself.
By Astiba Kebong’o
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