This archive report was first published on 13 October 2019.
As the country prepares for the rollout of the competence-based curriculum (CBC), a looming assessment crisis threatens to undermine the entire education system. The Ministry of Education has been tight-lipped about the standardized assessment method that will be used for secondary school selection at Grade 6, leaving many to wonder if the government is hiding something.
According to education expert Anna Obura, the government has already settled on competitive national exams but is hesitant to admit it, fearing a backlash from the public. 'The public will end up demanding competitive standardised and scientifically designed, administered, marked and moderated exams as the only fair selection mechanism,' she says.
Dr. Obura's prediction seems to be coming true, as the dovish teachers union KUPPET has already shown up before the task force to demand a national exam for Grade 6. With only three years to go before the pioneer class of CBC selects their preferred public secondary schools, the education authorities must come clean about their plans for assessment.
As the country waits with bated breath for the government's next move, one thing is certain: the big CBC assessment lie in 2022 will be a defining moment for the education sector in Kenya.
