The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) has directed all schools to verify the upload status of School-Based Assessment (SBA) scores for learners sitting the 2026 Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) and Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA).
The exercise is part of preparations for this year's national assessments under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), with all schools required to complete the verification by July 30, 2026.
Schools should complete the verification process before the July 30 deadline to avoid discrepancies and ensure candidates' school-based assessment scores are accurately reflected in the 2026 national assessments.
KNEC Sets July 30 Deadline for Schools to Verify KPSEA and KJSEA Assessment Scores
In a notice issued on Thursday, KNEC instructed heads of institutions to log into their schools' Competency-Based Assessment (CBA) portal and confirm that SBA scores for all eligible candidates have been successfully uploaded.
The council noted that the exercise is aimed at verifying the assessment records captured by schools before the national examinations begin later this year.
According to KNEC:
"KNEC is in the process of verifying the capturing of SBA scores by schools. All Heads of Institutions are therefore expected to log into their school CBA portals to confirm the status of uploading of SBA scores for their 2026 KPSEA and KJSEA candidates. This should be done by 30th July 2026."
Why the Verification Exercise Is Important
The verification process is intended to ensure that all learner records are complete and accurate before candidates sit their national assessments.
For KPSEA, School-Based Assessment scores from Grades 4, 5 and 6 contribute 60 per cent of a learner's final score, while the national examination accounts for the remaining 40% before learners transition to junior secondary school.
Meanwhile, KJSEA candidates receive their final scores from three assessment components:
- School-Based Assessments (Grades 7 and 8) – 20 per cent.
- KJSEA summative examination – 60 per cent.
- KPSEA performance – 20 per cent.
Schools are therefore expected to ensure every eligible learner's SBA records have been correctly uploaded before the July deadline.
2026 National Assessment Timelines
KNEC has already released the timetable for this year's assessments.
The 2026 KPSEA examinations will take place from Monday, October 26, to Wednesday, October 28.
The 2026 KJSEA examinations will run from Monday, October 26, to Friday, October 30.
The council has also intensified preparations for the national assessments by making Grade 10 and vocational level School-Based Assessment projects and practical examinations available to schools.
Institutions have been directed to administer the projects and practicals during the second term, while written assessments will be conducted in the third term. Schools must upload the corresponding assessment scores by October 31, 2026.
Additionally, KNEC has begun recruiting teachers to serve as assessors for selected Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) oral and practical examinations as part of preparations for this year's examination cycle.
What Schools Should Do Next
School heads should:
- Log into their institution's CBA portal.
- Confirm that all KPSEA and KJSEA SBA scores have been uploaded.
- Verify that every eligible learner's assessment records are complete.
- Correct any discrepancies before the July 30, 2026 deadline.
Completing the exercise early will help prevent errors that could affect learners' final assessment scores.
