Hundreds of schools are behind Knec schedule that set assessment of Grade 4 and Class 8 beginning Monday 21st.

Teachers Arena has learnt that many schools are yet to start the assessments despite Knec releasing the official timelines.

The assessments were expected to start yesterday and most schools had complied with the official schedule which was revised due to Mashujaa fete.

“The Class 8 and Grade 4 assessments will now be administered from Wednesday, 21 October 2020 to Monday, 26 October, 2020,” Knec CEO Mercy Karogo had said through a circular sent to school heads.

However some schools have not yet started by close of business yesterday.

In Kilifi county sixty schools are yet to start the assessments which are supposed to enter second day today. Most headteachers cited poor planning and funding problems.

In Kwale county all the sub counties of Matuga, Kinango, Msambweni and Lungalunga had numerous schools which have not yet started the assessments.

The school heads in Kinango cited delayed lack of funding. They however sourced funds from parents for printing of the assessment materials which they said had caused the delay.

In Lungalunga some heads also said lack of funding for the programme is to blame for the delay, however most were hopeful the assessments will kick off today after seeking alternative means.

In Tana River, Taita Taveta and Makueni counties also had many schools which did not start the assessments as planned.

Knec had directed all school heads to download the assessment tools from its website and make them ready a day before start of the tests.

In a document titled ‘guidelines for the conduct of school based learning assessments’, KNEC directed that the assessment tools such as timetables, advance instructions, scoring guides and learners questions were to be ready ahead of the start of the tests.

But even after the tests were postponed from Monday to Wednesday October 21, school heads said they were yet to receive money to prepare for them.

“As we speak we are still waiting for any official communication with regards to the assessments because we have not received any money from Knec,” said Nicholas Gathemia, Kenya Primary School Heads Association (Kepsha) national chairman.

Gathemia, however, said school administrations are ready to cooperate as long as they are facilitated to administer the tests.

The assessments for Grade Four and Standard Eight pupils is part of the Sh1.5 billion Global Partnership for Education’s boost towards the government’s schools reopening preparations.

The Teachers Service Commission and Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development are also set to benefit from the grant, which the World Bank will supervise.

KNEC had directed school heads to ensure they have the necessary infrastructure to download and print the assessment material and also facilitate uploading of the scores.

Hundreds of schools are behind Knec schedule that set assessment of Grade 4 and Class 8 beginning Monday 21st.

Teachers Arena has learnt that many schools are yet to start the assessments despite Knec releasing the official timelines.

The assessments were expected to start yesterday and most schools had complied with the official schedule which was revised due to Mashujaa fete.

“The Class 8 and Grade 4 assessments will now be administered from Wednesday, 21 October 2020 to Monday, 26 October, 2020,” Knec CEO Mercy Karogo had said through a circular sent to school heads.

However some schools have not yet started by close of business yesterday.

In Kilifi county sixty schools are yet to start the assessments which are supposed to enter second day today. Most headteachers cited poor planning and funding problems.

In Kwale county all the sub counties of Matuga, Kinango, Msambweni and Lungalunga had numerous schools which have not yet started the assessments.

The school heads in Kinango cited delayed lack of funding. They however sourced funds from parents for printing of the assessment materials which they said had caused the delay.

In Lungalunga some heads also said lack of funding for the programme is to blame for the delay, however most were hopeful the assessments will kick off today after seeking alternative means.

In Tana River, Taita Taveta and Makueni counties also had many schools which did not start the assessments as planned.

Knec had directed all school heads to download the assessment tools from its website and make them ready a day before start of the tests.

In a document titled ‘guidelines for the conduct of school based learning assessments’, KNEC directed that the assessment tools such as timetables, advance instructions, scoring guides and learners questions were to be ready ahead of the start of the tests.

But even after the tests were postponed from Monday to Wednesday October 21, school heads said they were yet to receive money to prepare for them.

“As we speak we are still waiting for any official communication with regards to the assessments because we have not received any money from Knec,” said Nicholas Gathemia, Kenya Primary School Heads Association (Kepsha) national chairman.

Gathemia, however, said school administrations are ready to cooperate as long as they are facilitated to administer the tests.

The assessments for Grade Four and Standard Eight pupils is part of the Sh1.5 billion Global Partnership for Education’s boost towards the government’s schools reopening preparations.

The Teachers Service Commission and Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development are also set to benefit from the grant, which the World Bank will supervise.

KNEC had directed school heads to ensure they have the necessary infrastructure to download and print the assessment material and also facilitate uploading of the scores.