The Kenya National Examination Council (Knec) has issued a response after flooding with complaints from teachers and schools over Grade 4 score uploading process.
Grade 4 learners sat their Formative Assessment tests last term. The examiner made available the 2020 Grade 4 Age Based and Intermediate Level Stage Based assessment tools by 7th March 2021 for schools to access and use.
Schools were also given till 19th March 2021 to upload Grade 4 scores to the Knec online portal.
“Schools are therefore expected to download and administer the assessment tools; score; and upload the Grade 4 learners’ assessment scores on the KNEC Competency Based Assessment portal cba.knec.ac.ke between 8th and 19th March 2021,” the examiner had said.
The tools covered the following subjects:
Age Based Curriculum (Regular) Pathway:
Mathematics;
English;
Kiswahili;
Kenyan Sign Language;
Science and Technology;
Agriculture;
Music;
Art and Craft;
Social Studies;
Christian Religious Education (CRE);
Islamic Religious Education (IRE);
Hindu Religious Education (HRE);
Home Science; and
Physical and Health Education.
Stage Based Curriculum Pathway:
Communication, Social and Literacy Skills;
Daily Living Skills and Religious Education;
Numeracy Activities;
Creative Activities;
Environmental Activities;
Psychomotor Activities; and
Sensory Motor Integration.
However Knec extended the deadline after failing to receive significant feedback from schools due to its poor servers.
“KNEC has confirmed that the grade 3 and 4 portals have mechanical problems and are making every effort to rectify the problem. The deadline given earlier for the uploading of assessment outcomes will be extended when the system is back. You can meanwhile be checking the system but do not be stressed,” Knec said through its official social media handles.
Yesterday Knec assured schools that its working to solve technical hitches that make saving of Grade 4 scores difficult.
“We are aware of difficulties in saving Grade 4 scores especially Science and Agriculture. We are doing every effort to have the system work efficiently. Mean while keep checking the system for changes,” Knec responded to a school.
Knec had directed all Head-teachers to keep all records generated from the assessment as evidence for use in quality assurance.
According to Knec, Grade Three pupils will sit a national exam at the end of the year before joining Grade Four under the new Competency Based Curriculum.
Kenya National Examinations Council (Knec) acting CEO Mercy Karogo said the national test would be done at the end of each tier of education in the 2-6-3-3-3 system.The new system covers pre-primary and Grade One up to Grade 12.
Early Years Education (EYE) covers nursery education to Grade Three while Middle School Education will cover Grade Four to Grade Nine. Senior School will cover Grade 10 to Grade 12.
“At the end of Grade 3 this year, learners will sit Kenya Early Years Assessment (KEYA) exam to be administered in three assessments of English, Mathematics and Integrated Learning Areas, an assessment that integrates knowledge from different disciplines,” said Dr Karogo.
Karogo said they had developed a Competency Based Assessment Framework (CBAF) to be used in the assessment.
“Learners will be assessed using a portfolio assessment for about two months. Portfolio is a purposeful collection of learners’ work that shows effort, progress and mastery of a specified learning outcome or competency. It provides evidence of progress and achievement or mastery,” said Karogo.
She added: “The ongoing education reforms call for a paradigm shift in the mode of instruction and consequently assessment, with emphasis on the use of key inquiry questions for each topic.”Karogo said learners will be engaged through critical thinking on issues rather than just recalling information.
“This therefore calls for a shift in the way we assess. Assessment will be more of a process of determining the capability of a learner to apply the knowledge, skills, attitude and values as they perform tasks,” said Karogo.
She said emphasis will be on formative assessment carried out continuously during the learning process, and teachers will need to nurture a learner’s potential by making use of variety of assessment methods.
“Apart from written tests, teachers can embrace use of oral tests for language proficiency, observation schedules as learners engage in learning activities, use of rubrics that give a qualitative description of what a learner is able to do, use of projects in a small way and use of portfolio assessment to gather evidence of learning over a given period of time,” said Karogo.
She said CBC will focus on assessment on tasks that relate to everyday life experiences to ensure learning is not on abstract things and exercises given should be ones the learner identifies with.
“Use of key inquiry questions will help learners acquire the higher order thinking skills as they solve problems within their immediate environment,” said Karogo.
Five lessons will be taught per day in the pre-primary section, bringing the total to 25 per week.
Schools warned over Grade 4 reopening
Dr. Jwan said the current Grade 4 learners will resume learning in July 26th 2021.
The Grade 4 learners will join Grade 5 when they resume learning in July first term.
Ministry of Education has warned teachers and schools not to go against the official issued term dates.
The Ministry and Teachers Service Commission (TSC) issued warning to schools after it emerged that schools are taking back Grade 4 learners against the Ministry official school calendar.
Through an internal memo to all County Directors of Education, the Ministry Permanent Secretary (PS), Dr. Julius Jwan, has asked schools to adhere to the Ministry guidelines on school programs.
The PS further warned Private schools found to be carrying out the offence will have their school registration certificates revoked.
In January the Ministry of Education issued school term dates for schools and colleges through a circular.
The circular read as below;
RE: SCHOOL CALENDERS FOR YEARS 2020, 2021, 2022 AND 2023 -REVISED TERM DATES FOR PRE-PRIMARY, PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS AND TEACHERS TRAINING COLLEGES
As you are aware all the learning institutions were closed in March 2020 to control the spread of Covid-19.
Further, following the Stakeholders Consultation, the revised term dates were agreed on in order to cover the remaining two terms of 2020 school calendar and stabilize school calendar by December 2022.
The revised term dates will be as stipulated below;
A) PRE-PRIMARY, PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS
1) 2020 SCHOOL CALENDAR
TERM 2 & 3 SCHEDULE FOR CONTINUING LEARNERS (PP1&2, Grade 1-3, Class 5-7 and Form 1-3)
Note as follows:•
1. All Schools including schools offering international curriculum will open fully on 4 January, 2021;
2. All 4 year-olds will join PPI in July 2021.
3. Grade 4 CBC learners will transit to Grade 5 in July 2021.
4. Grade 4 and incoming Form 1 (class 8 graduates) will stay at home as other learners complete their term 3; Resume July 2021.
All field Education officers are asked to ensure strict adherence to these dates and give guidance to the stakeholders.
County Directors of Education are asked to produce enough copies of this circular for all field officers and Basic Education Institutions under their jurisdiction.
Dr. Belio R. Kipsang, CBS
PRINCIPAL SECRETARY