Kenyan schools must upload School-Based Assessment scores to KNEC by 23 October

Kenyan schools have until Friday 23 October 2026 to upload School-Based Assessment (SBA) scores to the portal of the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC). Education News, a Kenyan news site, reported on 20 October, citing a KNEC circular, that "schools are required to upload the scores by October 23, 2026". The details below come from the circulars as described by Education News and two other Kenyan news sites, Kenyans.co.ke and Teachers Arena.

The national assessments start three days after the deadline, on Monday 26 October: the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) for Grade 6 and the Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA) for Grade 9. Most primary schools were due to close on Wednesday 21 October.

SBA is work that learners do and teachers mark in school, with the scores then sent to KNEC. Subject teachers give learners tests and tasks from KNEC, mark them and enter the scores on KNEC's Competency-Based Assessment (CBA) portal at cba.knec.ac.ke, Kenyans.co.ke reported on 27 August.

Two circulars, both dated 14 August 2026, cover different grades. Education News gives reference KNEC/GEN/TD/SE/SBA/GUI/2026/03 for Grade 3, Grades 4, 5, 7 and 8, and learners on the Stage-Based Curriculum. Grade 6 learners are exempt as they prepare for KPSEA, and Grade 9 is not listed. Teachers Arena gives KNEC/GEN/TD/SE/G10 SBA/GUI/2026/02 for the first Grade 10 written tests.

Source: KNEC circulars of 14 August 2026, as reported by Education News (20 October), Kenyans.co.ke (27 August) and Teachers Arena (29 August). Kenyans.co.ke lists the Grade 10 subjects as Mathematics, Sciences, Business Studies, Geography, History and Citizenship, Music and Dance, and Sports and Recreation.

Teachers Arena, explaining how the final Kenya Certificate of Basic Education (KCBE) grade is worked out, puts Grade 10 SBA at 15%, Grade 11 SBA at 15% and the Grade 12 summative assessment at 70%. Kenyans.co.ke reported on 1 July that Grade 10 SBA scores count 15% toward a learner's final Grade 12 result.

The 23 October date is earlier than the 31 October one in a July schedule. Kenyans.co.ke and The Kenya Times reported on 1 July that a KNEC schedule for Grade 10 and vocational SBAs set 31 October for uploading scores, with projects and practicals in Term 2 and written tests in Term 3. The August circular sets 23 October for the Grade 10 written tests.

Kenyans.co.ke said school heads oversee downloading of the assessment tools and log in with school credentials, then confirm with a one-time password (OTP) sent to their registered phone. Education News said KNEC encourages heads to register subject teachers with their own login credentials. It added that teachers report repeated logouts, each needing an OTP from the head, which slow the uploading.

Schools must keep records and supporting evidence of the assessments. For Grade 10 and vocational SBAs, Kenyans.co.ke reported on 1 July, this can include videos, photos and recordings of learners' work. KNEC treats "uploading of fictitious scores not based on the learner's work" as malpractice that can bring administrative action under the KNEC Act.