Schools across Kenya are facing a last-minute assessment headache, with headteachers and subject teachers racing to upload learners’ 2026 School-Based Assessment (SBA) scores before the Friday, October 23 deadline, amid complaints that repeated logouts and One-Time Password (OTP) requirements are slowing down the process.
The timing has intensified pressure on schools, with some secondary schools already closed for the long holiday and most primary schools scheduled to close on Wednesday, October 21.
This leaves school managers with a narrow window to complete pending assessments, mark scripts, verify scores and submit the results through the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) Competency-Based Assessment (CBA) portal.
For teachers already juggling end-of-term responsibilities, the challenge is no longer simply about assessing learners. It is also about navigating a digital reporting system that some say is consuming valuable time at the most critical stage of the school calendar.
OTP login hitches complicate the final push
ICT teachers have raised concerns over the portal’s login process, particularly the requirement to obtain an OTP from the school head whenever the system logs them out.
According to the teachers, repeated session interruptions force them to request fresh authentication codes before resuming work, creating delays in schools where several teachers are uploading scores simultaneously.
The problem is especially significant where headteachers are occupied with school-closing activities and preparations for the upcoming national assessments.
KNEC had previously encouraged school heads to register subject teachers and issue them with individual login credentials.
The arrangement was intended to distribute the workload, allowing each teacher to upload scores for their assigned subjects instead of concentrating the entire exercise at the headteacher’s desk.
However, teachers say repeated OTP requests can undermine that arrangement when access to the portal is interrupted.
One of the suggested measures is to select the “Remember Me” option when logging in, where available, to help maintain the login session and reduce repeated authentication requests.
Teachers should also confirm that their accounts are properly registered and that school heads are accessible whenever additional verification is required.
Friday deadline collides with school closure and national assessment preparations
The October 23 deadline creates a difficult scheduling challenge for school administrators.
Primary schools are expected to close on Wednesday, October 21, while the same Friday deadline marks the final day of the school term under the 2026 school calendar.
The date also coincides with rehearsals for candidates preparing for the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) and the Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA), whose national assessments are scheduled to begin on Monday, October 26.
This leaves school management teams balancing two important responsibilities: completing the term’s SBA reporting requirements and ensuring that examination centres and candidates are adequately prepared for the national assessments.
For schools with outstanding scores, the remaining days could prove particularly demanding.
What the KNEC circular says
The assessment timelines are outlined in a circular referenced KNEC/GEN/TD/SE/SBA/GUI/2026/03, dated August 14, 2026, and attributed to KNEC Chief Executive Officer Dr David Njengere.
Titled Guidelines and Schedule for the Year 2026 School Based Assessment – Written Tests and Performance Tasks, the circular indicates that the assessment tools were made available through the CBA portal from September 28, 2026.
Schools are required to upload the scores by October 23, 2026, according to the circular.
The written tests form the final component of the 2026 SBA cycle. Under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), learners undertake projects and practical activities during the second term, followed by written assessments in the third term.
The reporting process is therefore intended to consolidate evidence of learning gathered during the year rather than merely provide an end-of-term score.
Which learners and subjects are affected?
The assessment arrangements cover Grade 3 learners and learners in Grades 4, 5, 7 and 8, alongside the relevant tools for learners following the Stage-Based Curriculum.
Grade 6 learners are exempted from this particular SBA exercise as they prepare for KPSEA, while Grade 9 learners concentrate on preparations for KJSEA.
The assessment tools available through the portal include:
Grade 3: Kenya Early Years Assessment (KEYA).
Stage-Based Curriculum: Kenya Foundation Level Education Assessment (KFLEA) tools.
Grades 4 and 5: School-Based Assessment tools for upper primary learners.
Grades 7 and 8: School-Based Assessment tools for junior school learners.
Grade 3 written assessments cover Mathematics and English Activities.
Learners with special needs at the foundation level undertake relevant performance tasks, including Activities of Daily Living and Communication, Social and Pre-Literacy Skills.
For Grades 4 and 5, the assessed learning areas include Mathematics, English, Kiswahili, Kenyan Sign Language, Agriculture, Science and Technology, Social Studies, Religious Education and Creative Arts.
Grades 7 and 8 cover Mathematics, English, Kiswahili, Kenyan Sign Language, Social Studies, Religious Education, Integrated Science, Agriculture, Creative Arts and Sports, and Pre-Technical Studies.
The breadth of these learning areas makes timely coordination essential, particularly in schools where several teachers must submit results before the deadline.
How schools can avoid last-minute upload failures
With the deadline approaching, school administrators should focus on completing outstanding work, resolving access problems and checking the accuracy of submitted scores.
The following measures can help schools streamline the process:
Complete outstanding assessments and marking: Schools should identify learners whose tests or scoring remain incomplete and prioritise those cases.
Confirm teacher registration: Headteachers should ensure that subject teachers have been registered on the portal and issued with the credentials required to upload their respective scores.
Address OTP interruptions early: Teachers should follow the official login instructions and coordinate with school heads to minimise delays whenever fresh authentication is required.
Divide responsibilities clearly: Assigning specific subjects, classes and verification duties to individual teachers can prevent duplication and reduce congestion around the final submission stage.
Use the official portal and user manual: The CBA portal is accessible at https://cba.knec.ac.ke/. Teachers and school heads should consult the official instructions for accessing assessment tools, applying scoring guides and uploading results.
Upload progressively: Schools should avoid leaving the entire exercise until Friday. Submitting completed scores in batches gives administrators more time to identify and correct errors.
Retain assessment evidence: Schools must preserve the records and evidence generated during the assessment process for verification. The circular’s stated retention requirement should be followed, including the prescribed minimum period after scores are uploaded.
Where assessment tools contain colour images, schools should ensure that they are printed in colour or accessed through suitable digital devices, as required by the applicable instructions.
KNEC warns against compromising assessment integrity
The rush to meet the deadline must not compromise the credibility of the results.
KNEC has cautioned teachers against sharing assessment materials through social media groups, where confidential resources can reach learners before they sit the tests.
Such breaches undermine the fairness of the assessment process and may expose schools and individual teachers to disciplinary consequences.
Headteachers remain responsible for ensuring that assessment materials are handled securely, printing and storage are supervised, and uploaded scores accurately reflect learners’ performance.
The importance of these safeguards extends beyond compliance.
SBA results provide evidence of learners’ progress and the competencies they have developed. Inflated, inaccurate or hastily entered scores can distort that evidence and weaken decisions on learner support and progression.
Why SBA scores matter under CBE
The School-Based Assessment framework is an important component of the Competency-Based Education (CBE) system.
It broadens the assessment process beyond a single terminal examination by gathering evidence through written tests, projects and practical activities.
When properly administered and recorded, these assessments help teachers identify learning gaps, monitor progress and determine where additional support is required.
Incomplete or inaccurate submissions risk leaving gaps in learners’ assessment records, limiting the usefulness of the information available to teachers, parents and education policymakers.
The immediate challenge, therefore, is not simply to beat a deadline. It is to ensure that every submitted score is complete, accurate and supported by appropriate assessment evidence.
The final countdown
With primary schools preparing to close, some secondary schools already on holiday and national assessment rehearsals approaching, the final days of the term will test the coordination capacity of school management teams.
The reported OTP difficulties add another layer of pressure to an already compressed schedule.
While schools must comply with KNEC’s October 23 deadline, efficient task allocation, early uploads and prompt resolution of login problems could help prevent a last-minute reporting crisis.
The bigger lesson is that digital assessment systems must be supported by reliable access procedures, adequate preparation time and responsive technical support, especially when thousands of schools are expected to submit results within the same reporting window.
For now, school heads and teachers must complete the remaining work without sacrificing accuracy, confidentiality or fairness.
As the deadline approaches, the real test is whether schools can deliver timely digital reporting while preserving the integrity of the assessment process.
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