Teachers Protest Tough KNEC Assessments

Teachers are questioning the difficulty of the latest KNEC School-Based Assessments after some learners recorded unexpectedly low marks in several schools. Concerns have particularly been reported among Junior Secondary School learners, with educators saying some tasks appear beyond the level many children have reached.

The complaints have emerged as schools administer the latest SBA tools released through the KNEC assessment system. Grade 10 learners are also undertaking their written assessments, with schools expected to complete the process and submit results within the timelines issued by the council.

Teachers Question Difficulty of Tests

According to teachers, the problem is not the use of assessments but the level at which some questions are being presented. They argue that assessment papers should give learners an opportunity to demonstrate skills already developed in class instead of placing excessive emphasis on abilities that have not yet been mastered.

Some educators have reported very low scores, including cases where learners have obtained zero marks. The reports have been described as concerning because similar difficulties are being observed across different classes and learning areas.

One of the biggest concerns has been raised in Junior Secondary School, where teachers say significant differences exist between learners in the same classroom. While some children can handle demanding tasks, others are still developing basic reading, writing and numeracy skills.

Classroom Reality Raises Questions

Teachers say the assessment results cannot be separated from the conditions under which learning is taking place. Large classes, limited learning resources and differences in individual ability are among the factors that can affect how quickly learners acquire new competencies.

The CBC model is designed around gradual development of skills through activities, projects and practical learning. However, educators say some schools lack the staffing, materials and time needed to provide every learner with the level of individual support required.

KNEC's own guidance indicates that School-Based Assessments are intended to help schools track learner achievement and identify children who require additional support.

Teachers therefore argue that unusually low results should trigger closer examination of both learner preparedness and the assessment tools themselves.

Parents Could Face Difficult Questions

The teachers' concerns are also extending beyond classrooms, with some fearing that poor scores could create unnecessary conflict between schools and parents.

Where a learner receives a very low mark, parents may naturally question the quality of teaching provided. Teachers, however, argue that a poor assessment result does not automatically mean that instruction has failed.

They want parents to consider the wider circumstances surrounding the results, particularly where many learners within the same school or class perform poorly in the same assessment.

Learners Could Lose Confidence

Another concern being raised is the possible effect of repeated poor performance on learners' confidence.

Teachers say children who repeatedly encounter questions they cannot understand may begin associating school with failure rather than discovery and learning. This could be particularly damaging among younger learners who are still developing confidence in their academic abilities.

Educators are therefore calling for assessments that remain challenging while still being appropriate for the expected level of the learner.

Teachers Call for Better Assessment Design

The educators are not calling for KNEC to abandon national assessments or lower academic expectations. Instead, they want greater consideration of classroom realities when assessment tools are prepared.

Among the proposals being raised are stronger teacher involvement in assessment development, wider piloting of papers before national administration and clearer guidance on how difficult tasks should be interpreted.

Teachers also want assessment results to be used primarily to identify learning gaps and guide intervention rather than simply becoming a measure of whether a teacher or school has performed poorly.

KNEC's 2026 assessment framework provides for written tests as well as projects and practical activities, with schools required to administer the tools, score learners and upload results through the CBA portal.

The debate has now placed fresh attention on whether the difficulty of national assessment tools is keeping pace with the realities inside Kenyan classrooms.

Teachers maintain that learners should be challenged, but the challenge should remain within a level where children can demonstrate what they have actually been taught.