SUMMARY OF ISSUES DISCUSSED DURING THE MEETING ON PREPAREDNESS FOR THE 2021/2022 NATIONAL EXAMINATIONS

1.0  Introduction

KNEC held an online meeting with the Regional/County Directors  and Sub-County directors on 13th September 2021.

The following were the issues discussed:

2.0    Status of Preparedness on the Implementation of Competency Based Assessments

2.1     KNEC has developed the Competency Based Assessment Framework which provides the roadmap on assessment. The framework comprises formative and summative assessments.

2.2     The government is implementing the policy of 100% transition from one grade to the next.

It is important to ensure that all learners in your region/county are enrolled in the NEMIS system since KNEC uses that database to register leaners at Grade 3.

2.3     KNEC had previously carried out assessment of learners at Grade 3 and 4 using the School-Based Assessment and some leaners’ scores were not submitted.

KNEC will be providing to you the list of schools and the number of learners missed out in the assessments for you to ensure that the scores are submitted.

2.4     Regional/County Directors should  identify  schools  with infrastructure challenges so as to be partnered with neighbouring schools within the zone to be assisted in carrying out future assessments and uploading of scores.

2.5     KNEC will be piloting the Grade 6 summative assessment tools between 27th September  and 1st  October 2021 using the current Grade 5 learners.

The pilot study will sample at least 3 schools, in one Sub County, in each County.

2.6     As Regional/County Directors you will be expected to monitor and ensure that the assessment is carried out effectively.

3.0    Preparedness of 2021 KCPE and KCSE Examinations

3.1     Preparation for the 2021 (March/April 2022) KCPE/KCSE examinations are ongoing and  all  systems have been put in place  to ensure that the examinations are conducted successfully.

3.2     Registration of candidates was closed on 14th August 2021. There are still cases of learners who have not been registered despite extension of the deadline.

You are required to provide the list of schools from your County that have not registered all learners for the KCPE/KCSE examination to the Ministry of Education by Thursday 16th September 2021.

3.3     There was change in policy on the number of candidates per school to be hosted from less than 15 to less than 30 candidates. As County Directors, you are required compile the list of the schools to be hosted and where they will be hosted and forward to KNEC by 16th September 2021.

3.4     KNEC will be training additional examiners for KCPE/KCSE between 3rd and

9th October 2021. CDEs and RCS from North Eastern and Coast Regions are requested to inform teachers to apply since there are fewer examiners from these regions.

4.0    Preparations for the 2022 KPSEA, KCPE and KCSE Examinations

4.1  2022 being an election year and MoE will be offering three examinations/assessments, it is imperative to ensure that measures are put in place to ensure that examinations are conducted successfully.

4.2     KNEC will be providing the guidelines and the modalities of summative assessment at Grade 6 after the pilot assessment.

4.3     Registration of 2022 KPSEA, KCPE and KCSE candidates will be taking place between 2nd January and 28th  February 2022.

County Directors are requested to ensure that new schools that meet the registration standards as set by the Basic Education Act are issued with valid registration certificates by November 2021.

4.4     KNEC will not procure new containers in 2022 and thus there is need to re-examine the location of the current containers with a view of establishing if one container can be used by more than one sub county especially in areas where the containers are located within a radius of 10km from each other.

5.0    Issues Raised During Discussions

5.1     Hosting of Examination Centres

It  was discussed and agreed that Regional/County/Sub-County Directors be innovative and come up with solutions on how to effectively host centres with less than 30 candidates.

5.2     Performance of KNEC portal

There had been challenges of uploading scores in the KNEC portal. However, the meeting was informed that the portal has been streamlined and its performance tuned to ensure effective upload of marks by the centres.

5.3     Early exposure of examinations

It was reported that one of the challenges experienced last year was early exposure where some Principals/Head Teachers and Supervisors were able to access the examination materials before the start of the examinations.

This is an examination malpractice that the Regional/County/Sub-County Directors should assist in fighting so as to protect the credibility of national examinations.

5.4     Challenges with uploading of scores

It was agreed that KNEC should be communicating promptly with the Regional/County/Sub-County Directors when conducting Assessments especially on how they can identify and assist schools that have challenges of uploading scores.

SUMMARY OF ISSUES DISCUSSED DURING THE MEETING ON PREPAREDNESS FOR THE 2021/2022 NATIONAL EXAMINATIONS

1.0  Introduction

KNEC held an online meeting with the Regional/County Directors  and Sub-County directors on 13th September 2021.

The following were the issues discussed:

2.0    Status of Preparedness on the Implementation of Competency Based Assessments

2.1     KNEC has developed the Competency Based Assessment Framework which provides the roadmap on assessment. The framework comprises formative and summative assessments.

2.2     The government is implementing the policy of 100% transition from one grade to the next.

It is important to ensure that all learners in your region/county are enrolled in the NEMIS system since KNEC uses that database to register leaners at Grade 3.

2.3     KNEC had previously carried out assessment of learners at Grade 3 and 4 using the School-Based Assessment and some leaners’ scores were not submitted.

KNEC will be providing to you the list of schools and the number of learners missed out in the assessments for you to ensure that the scores are submitted.

2.4     Regional/County Directors should  identify  schools  with infrastructure challenges so as to be partnered with neighbouring schools within the zone to be assisted in carrying out future assessments and uploading of scores.

2.5     KNEC will be piloting the Grade 6 summative assessment tools between 27th September  and 1st  October 2021 using the current Grade 5 learners.

The pilot study will sample at least 3 schools, in one Sub County, in each County.

2.6     As Regional/County Directors you will be expected to monitor and ensure that the assessment is carried out effectively.

3.0    Preparedness of 2021 KCPE and KCSE Examinations

3.1     Preparation for the 2021 (March/April 2022) KCPE/KCSE examinations are ongoing and  all  systems have been put in place  to ensure that the examinations are conducted successfully.

3.2     Registration of candidates was closed on 14th August 2021. There are still cases of learners who have not been registered despite extension of the deadline.

You are required to provide the list of schools from your County that have not registered all learners for the KCPE/KCSE examination to the Ministry of Education by Thursday 16th September 2021.

3.3     There was change in policy on the number of candidates per school to be hosted from less than 15 to less than 30 candidates. As County Directors, you are required compile the list of the schools to be hosted and where they will be hosted and forward to KNEC by 16th September 2021.

3.4     KNEC will be training additional examiners for KCPE/KCSE between 3rd and

9th October 2021. CDEs and RCS from North Eastern and Coast Regions are requested to inform teachers to apply since there are fewer examiners from these regions.

4.0    Preparations for the 2022 KPSEA, KCPE and KCSE Examinations

4.1  2022 being an election year and MoE will be offering three examinations/assessments, it is imperative to ensure that measures are put in place to ensure that examinations are conducted successfully.

4.2     KNEC will be providing the guidelines and the modalities of summative assessment at Grade 6 after the pilot assessment.

4.3     Registration of 2022 KPSEA, KCPE and KCSE candidates will be taking place between 2nd January and 28th  February 2022.

County Directors are requested to ensure that new schools that meet the registration standards as set by the Basic Education Act are issued with valid registration certificates by November 2021.

4.4     KNEC will not procure new containers in 2022 and thus there is need to re-examine the location of the current containers with a view of establishing if one container can be used by more than one sub county especially in areas where the containers are located within a radius of 10km from each other.

5.0    Issues Raised During Discussions

5.1     Hosting of Examination Centres

It  was discussed and agreed that Regional/County/Sub-County Directors be innovative and come up with solutions on how to effectively host centres with less than 30 candidates.

5.2     Performance of KNEC portal

There had been challenges of uploading scores in the KNEC portal. However, the meeting was informed that the portal has been streamlined and its performance tuned to ensure effective upload of marks by the centres.

5.3     Early exposure of examinations

It was reported that one of the challenges experienced last year was early exposure where some Principals/Head Teachers and Supervisors were able to access the examination materials before the start of the examinations.

This is an examination malpractice that the Regional/County/Sub-County Directors should assist in fighting so as to protect the credibility of national examinations.

5.4     Challenges with uploading of scores

It was agreed that KNEC should be communicating promptly with the Regional/County/Sub-County Directors when conducting Assessments especially on how they can identify and assist schools that have challenges of uploading scores.