This archive report was first published on 12 September 2019.
Published on September 12, 2019, the national written test for Grade 3 pupils under the competency-Based curriculum (CBC) is set to start on Monday next week and end on Friday, September 20.
Despite the Kenya Early Years Assessment (Keya) being just a few days away, a spot check by the Nation and interviews with learners, teachers, and parents revealed that many are still unclear about what to expect.
Headteachers in various counties have expressed concerns about the challenges associated with the exercise, including the high costs of printing and photocopying the assessment materials.
‘We are expected to download, print, and photocopy the papers for each learner, and then upload the scores on the Knec portal,’ said a headteacher, who wished to remain anonymous.
However, the headteacher noted that schools have to bear the cost of printing and photocopying the materials, unlike in KCPE exams where the government pays for the examination.
Teachers and headteachers in various counties have decried the high costs associated with the assessment, with some saying they have to travel long distances to access the internet and download the tests.
‘We have a lot of challenges. The Grade Three national assessment has found most schools in remote areas ill-prepared,’ said Abdub Godana, headteacher of Forole Primary School in Marsabit County.
Headteachers in Kilifi County have also raised concerns about the high costs they will incur due to the lack of computers and printing machines.
‘We are going to use a lot of money printing the materials. We foresaw this coming and we tried to raise it during the Kilifi County Quality Education Dialogue last month but we did not get a satisfactory answer from Knec,’ said Moses Mwaringa, headteacher of Mwaeba Primary School.
At Dadu Primary School in Ganze constituency, headteacher Edward Saro said he was forced to travel to Malindi, more than 60km away, to access the internet.
‘It has been hectic for us because we are spending a lot of money on transport and processing of the assessment materials,’ he said.
Marere Primary School headteacher Jackson Mwaringa said the school will have to use money from another kitty to get the assessment done as the government does not allow them to ask parents for money.
Teachers in West Pokot have also decried the high costs associated with the assessment, with some saying they have to pay Sh80 to download eight pages at a cost of Sh10 per page.
However, Bomet County Director of Education Mabale Ndiatsi clarified that Keya is not an exam, and learners will take as long as they need to complete the assessment.
‘We are not testing the children and ranking by numbers, as the government wants to check if the learners have a grasp of the issues they have been taught as they transit to Grade Four,’ Mr Ndiatsi said.
