As Kenya edges closer to 2026—the year the first cohort of Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) learners steps into Senior School—the country’s examination body has triggered one of the boldest education shifts in decades.
On Wednesday morning, the usually quiet lakeside town of Naivasha stirred with an unusual buzz of anticipation. Hundreds of principals and teachers filed into Sawela Lodges for what the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) called a defining moment in the country’s transition to Competency-Based Assessment (CBA).
And when KNEC Chief Executive Officer Dr. David Njengere took to the podium, it became clear this was not just another workshop—this was the opening of a new chapter in Kenya’s education story.
“We Are Entering a New Phase,” CEO Warns Educators
Dr. Njengere did not mince his words.
Kenya, he said, is stepping into a phase that demands new thinking, new tools, and entirely new approaches to assessing what learners can do—not just what they can remember.
He reminded the room that while KNEC has modernised its systems over the years to match global trends, the move to Competency-Based Assessment calls for something deeper: a cultural shift among teachers.
“Assessment must now value knowledge application, skills demonstration, creativity and real-world performance,” he told the captivated audience.
It was a clear message: the old ways will no longer suffice.
The Assessment Blueprint for Senior School
Dr. Njengere revealed that KNEC’s Competency-Based Assessment Framework will guide every step of the new assessment journey—from design and administration to scoring and reporting.
This framework becomes even more crucial at Senior School, where learners will choose from three specialised pathways:
- STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics)
- Social Sciences
- Creative and Performing Arts & Sports Science
Each pathway demands assessments that are more technical, more specialised, and far more hands-on.
A New Era: Senior School Assessment Hubs
One of the day’s most consequential announcements was the creation of Senior School Assessment Hubs.
These hubs, mirroring the successful Junior School model, will act as county-level centres where teachers can:
- Receive continuous training,
- Access technical support,
- Collaborate on new assessment models,
- Experiment with ICT integration and project-based learning,
- Benchmark with peers,
- and refine assessment rubrics tailored to their learners.
Unlike Junior School, the new hubs will operate under a fresh sampling framework to broaden coverage. Importantly, 30 special schools offering the Stage-Based Curriculum have also been included to ensure no learner is left behind.
A Response to Gaps Exposed by Junior School Rollout
To strengthen the reform, KNEC has established the Research, Innovation and Educational Assessment Resource Centre—a department born from lessons learned during Junior School assessments.
The CEO admitted that the first CBC rollout exposed gaps: limited assessment literacy, inadequate teacher preparedness, and missed opportunities for innovation. The new centre will now drive research, partnerships, and capacity-building across all counties.
“We need a more innovative, more collaborative education system,” he said, applauding the planners of the workshop for developing a programme focused on practical guidance.
Teachers Appointed as “Assessment Champions”
In a deliberate shift of responsibility, Dr. Njengere told participants that their role goes far beyond attending a workshop.
They are now expected to become assessment champions—mentors who will guide their colleagues, troubleshoot challenges, and walk learners through unfamiliar territory.
“At the end of this programme, you will not only sharpen your individual skills,” he said, “but strengthen institutional preparedness for Grade 10 assessments and beyond.”
What the Two-Day Workshop Covers
The workshop covered the following:
- The operational framework of Assessment Hub schools,
- Assessment registration and transfer procedures,
- Scoring and reporting models,
- Pathways and tracks at Senior School,
- ICT use in the CBA portal,
- Community service learning,
- and the structure of both formative and summative assessments.
By the time the final session concludes, KNEC expects not just awareness—but mastery.
A National Effort, A Regional Vision
Dr. Njengere ended his address with gratitude: to the Ministry of Education for its support, and to teachers for embracing the changes despite the complexity of the transition.
He reiterated that the success of Kenya’s Competency-Based Assessment hinges on teamwork, innovation, and unwavering dedication.
With these reforms, he said, Kenya is on track to become a regional leader in modern educational assessment—a country where learners are tested not by how well they memorise answers, but by how creatively they solve problems.
And for the first time, the road to Senior School under CBC does not feel like a distant policy vision. It feels real. It feels urgent.
It feels like history in the making.
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