The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) has released timelines and guidelines for the 2026 Grade 10 School-Based Assessment (SBA), giving schools a clear schedule for administering tests and submitting learner results.
The guidelines come as schools begin the third term and prepare learners for the final assessments of the 2026 academic year.
According to KNEC, Grade 10 assessment materials will be available to schools through the Competency-Based Assessment (CBA) portal from October 5, 2026, with all assessment results required to be uploaded by October 23.
The council has instructed schools to follow the timelines strictly and ensure all learners are assessed within the specified period.
Grade 10 Assessment Materials Available From October 5
KNEC will make the Grade 10 SBA materials available through the CBA portal from October 5.
School principals will be responsible for accessing and downloading the assessment tools using their school credentials.
After logging into the portal, principals will receive a one-time password on the phone number registered with the system to complete the verification process.
KNEC has directed school heads to ensure the materials are securely accessed and that the assessment process is properly coordinated within their institutions.
The council said schools must administer the assessment tools and performance tasks, score learners and upload the results within the stipulated timeframe.
Teachers to Administer and Mark Tests
Subject teachers will play a central role in administering the Grade 10 assessments.
After school heads download the materials, teachers will administer the tests, mark the learners’ work and submit the resulting scores through the CBA portal.
KNEC has also directed schools to maintain records and supporting evidence generated throughout the assessment process.
The requirement is intended to ensure that assessment results can be verified and that schools maintain proper documentation of learners’ performance.
Schools will also have to pay attention to the format in which assessment materials are presented.
Where assessment materials contain colour images, schools have been instructed to either print them in colour or use digital devices available within the institution.
Grade 10 Learners Face Broad Assessment
The 2026 Grade 10 SBA will cover subjects drawn from the major learning areas under the senior school curriculum.
These include STEM, Social Sciences, and Arts and Sports.
Among the subjects included in the assessment are Mathematics, Sciences, Business Studies, Geography, History and Citizenship, Music and Dance, and Sports and Recreation.
The assessments are part of the broader competency-based approach, which seeks to measure learners beyond traditional examination performance.
Schools will therefore need to ensure that both written assessments and performance tasks are properly administered.
Results Must Be Uploaded by October 23
The October 23 deadline is a major requirement for schools participating in the assessment exercise.
KNEC expects institutions to complete the administration, marking and submission of learner results within the period provided.
School heads will have the responsibility of ensuring that teachers meet the deadlines and that scores are correctly entered into the CBA portal.
Delays or incomplete submissions could affect the accuracy and completeness of national assessment records.
Schools are therefore expected to begin preparations early rather than waiting until the final days of the assessment window.
KNEC Sets Timelines for Other Grades
The Grade 10 guidelines are not the only assessment schedule released by KNEC.
The council has also issued a separate circular covering learners in Grades 3, 4, 5, 7 and 8, together with learners under the Stage-Based Curriculum.
Materials for these assessments will become available from September 28, while schools will also have until October 23 to complete the submission of scores.
The assessments will cover both written tests and performance tasks, depending on the grade and curriculum level.
Grade 3 Assessment
Grade 3 learners will undertake the Kenya Early Years Assessment (KEYA).
The assessment will include activities in Mathematics and English.
The exercise is designed to provide information about learners’ progress at the early years level as they continue through the competency-based education system.
Grades 4 and 5 Assessments
Learners in Grades 4 and 5 will undertake assessments across a wider range of subjects.
These include Mathematics, English, Kiswahili, Kenyan Sign Language, Agriculture, Science and Technology, Social Studies, Religious Education and Creative Arts.
Schools will be required to administer the relevant assessment tools, record learner performance and upload the results through the prescribed system.
Grades 7 and 8 Also Included
The assessment programme also covers learners in Grades 7 and 8.
Their assessments will include Mathematics, English, Kiswahili, Kenyan Sign Language, Social Studies, Religious Education and Integrated Science.
Other areas include Agriculture, Creative Arts and Sports, as well as Pre-Technical Studies.
The wide range of subjects means schools will need to coordinate teachers, assessment materials and digital submissions carefully to meet the October deadline.
Special Needs Learners Included
KNEC has also provided assessment tools for learners in the Special Needs Education Foundation Level.
The assessments will cover areas including Activities of Daily Living, Communication, Social Skills and Pre-Literacy Skills.
This ensures that learners following stage-based and special-needs education pathways are also included in the national assessment framework.
The approach recognises that learners may demonstrate competencies in different ways depending on their educational needs and curriculum pathway.
Schools Must Prepare Early
The timelines place significant responsibility on school administrators and teachers.
With materials for different grades becoming available from late September and early October, schools will have to organise their assessment programmes well in advance.
School heads will need to ensure that teachers understand their responsibilities, assessment materials are accessed correctly, and learners are assessed within the required period.
They will also need to maintain proper records while ensuring results uploaded to the CBA portal accurately reflect learners’ performance.
For Grade 10 schools, the key dates are October 5 for access to assessment materials and October 23 for completion of result uploads.
For Grades 3, 4, 5, 7 and 8, materials will be available from September 28, with the same October 23 submission deadline.
The new timelines give schools a clear roadmap for completing the 2026 School-Based Assessment exercise while placing greater emphasis on timely administration, accurate scoring, proper record-keeping, and digital submission of learner outcomes.
