The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) requires nothing short of accurate data from the heads of institutions to enhance effective learner registration at all levels of education.
Speaking to heads of institutions at Nasokol Comprehensive School’s Multi-purpose Hall in West Pokot, KNEC officer Enock Sifuna urged them to critically analyze data before forwarding it for registration, as they will be personally held responsible for any misinformation.
“Designate the obligation to a responsible teacher,” he said.
There is a shift from the former 8-4-4 system, which relied heavily on summative assessment, to the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), which emphasizes formative assessment.
The new system oscillates between the two, with continuous assessment exams contributing to the final examination results.
Giving an example of Grade 9, he outlined the distribution of scores as follows: 20 percent from the KPSEA exam, 10 percent from Grade 7 work, 10 percent from Grade 8 work and 50 per cent from the summative Grade 9 final examination.
He emphasized that summative assessment outcomes depend entirely on proper preparation during the examination period, regardless of whether a learner had shown competence in a subject in previous years.
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“A learner could be going through several challenges during the examination day ranging from bereavement and sickness, which could negatively compromise the examination results. That’s why a formative assessment is so vital,” he said.
He further encouraged parents and teachers to embrace the CBC, as it is here to stay. He also reminded head teachers to adhere to the stipulated registration timelines.
Unexpected circumstances could occur during the registration process. Head teachers are, therefore, asked to liaise with the director, contact the Council through email, and file a copy of the communication in the school file for future reference.
The officer stated that all those who get grades Y or X are considered to sit a second time for the examination and have to pay an examination fee because the government can only pay once for the candidates. The officer advised candidates to take advantage of the same.
He confirmed that KNEC is expected to rebrand to reflect its new role in formative and summative assessments in line with the Presidential Working Party on Education requirements. The likely new name will be the Kenya National Examinations and Assessment Council.
He concluded by thanking the heads of institutions for their cooperation and encouraging them to adhere to all set regulations, consult when necessary, and follow the stipulated guidelines.
By Hillary Muhalya
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