Basic Education Principal Secretary Julius Bitok (left) and Kenya National Examinations Council (Knec) CEO David Njengere during the launch of Educational Assessment Resource Centre at New Mitihani House, Nairobi on July 4, 2025.
The Kenya National Examinations Council (Knec) has established an assessment resource centre that will train teachers as well as other players in the education sector on assessment under the competency-based education (CBE).
The courses under the programme centre on various aspects of assessment and will be open to all teachers who are willing to be trained. They range from setting the assessments to marking and analysis. The courses will be both online and in-person, depending on their nature and level of need. This is a departure from earlier practice when only targeted examiners were trained by the council.
Establishment of the centre comes just before the pioneer class of the CBE undertakes the inaugural Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA). The centre will also train educators from the East African region and will be open all-year round.
Basic Education Principal Secretary Julius Bitok addresses participants during the launch of the Educational Assessment Resource Centre at New Mitihani House, Nairobi on July 4, 2025.
“Its mission is to empower educators, examiners, researchers, and policymakers with essential skills in assessment, psychometrics, competency-based education, and research. Through these efforts, the centre aims to foster excellence and innovation in educational evaluation, ensuring alignment with modern pedagogical practices and policy frameworks,” said Dr David Njeng’ere, the chief executive officer of Knec.
Teachers will be trained in school-based assessments, which have elicited mixed reactions since they were introduced as part of the CBE. The centre will be launched on Friday by the Principal Secretary for Basic Education, Prof Julius Bitok. Among things that teachers will be trained on include competency-based assessment psychometrics and data analysis, item writing and test development as well as standardisation and quality assurance in marking.
According to Dr Njeng’ere, participants in the competency-based assessment (CBA) course will be trained in designing, implementing, and evaluating competency-based assessments. This will be a five-day course.
Training will also involve designing performance-based assessments and formative evaluation tools. These will include use of assessment rubrics, observation checklists, and learner portfolios.
Kenya National Examinations Council (Knec) CEO David Njeng'ere addresses participants during the launch of the Educational Assessment Resource Centre at New Mitihani House, Nairobi on July 4, 2025.
The CEO said that through the training, teachers will be equipped with foundational knowledge and practical skills in designing high quality test items and assessments that align with competency-based and traditional models. This will be delivered through a 10-day online interactive training featuring lectures, case studies, hands-on practice, and peer collaboration.
Teachers will be trained on the marking process and standardisation of assessments. This will enable them learn about effective grading techniques to ensure fairness, consistency, and reliability in marking.
“It’s a five-day intensive training session, combining interactive sessions, real-world case studies, and hands-on marking exercises. Participants should bring sample scripts for practice. Examiners and assessment officers and teachers involved in grading and examinations can attend,” Dr Njeng’ere said.
