This archive report was first published on 18 September 2019.
On September 17, 2019, the Grade Three assessment was administered in a strict and controlled environment, contrary to government assertions that the Monitoring Learner Progress (MLP) exercise is not an examination.
Teachers across the country have claimed that the Kenya National Examinations Council (Knec) did not provide clear guidelines on how to conduct the assessment, leading to confusion and frustration.
According to a spot check by the Nation, schools and parents have taken to the exercise and created the same atmosphere associated with traditional examinations that the Competence Based Curriculum (CBC) aims to get rid of.
Some schools had rehearsals for the assessment on Monday, and others even had invigilators to oversee the exercise, which Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha and Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang have said is only meant to measure the success and challenges of the new curriculum.
However, teachers blamed Knec for not giving clear guidelines on how the assessment should be conducted. They also complained that the training they received during the April and August holidays was inadequate.
“Knec has failed to do its work. How can they just post the papers online with no instructions on administration of the assessment? A circular would have been sufficient,” a teacher who requested anonymity for fear of victimisation said.
He faulted the council for not offering enough guidance and support to teachers.
Class teachers are then expected to administer the assessment and also mark using scoring guides and rubrics also downloaded from the portal. They are then to give the scoring sheets to the headteachers who upload them onto the portal.
Teachers blamed some curriculum support officers for piling pressure on them to complete the exercise this week.
“Those who are monitoring the MLP shouldn’t harass teachers but train, mentor and guide them on how to best implement the process efficiently and effectively,” a teacher said.
