The government's new curriculum push is finally picking momentum especially with the introduction of a KCPE-equivalent test targeting grade three pupils.
Quoting Kenya National Examinations Council (Knec) acting CEO Mercy Karogo, The Standard newspaper reported that the new exams would be carried out at the end of every year by the learners, beginning this year, before proceeding to grade four under the new Competency-Based Curriculum.
Karogo further revealed that the exams would be administered in three assessments including English, Mathematics and Integrated Learning Areas and that the exam will test the logic thinking of the learner in the 2-6-3-3-3 curriculum.
“At the end of Grade 3 this year, learners will sit Kenya Early Years Assessment (KEYA) exam to be administered in three assessments of English, Mathematics and Integrated Learning Areas, an assessment that integrates knowledge from different disciplines.
“Learners will be assessed using a portfolio assessment for about two months. A portfolio is a purposeful collection of learners' work that shows effort, progress and mastery of a specified learning outcome or competency. It provides evidence of progress and achievement or mastery,” stated Karogo on Tuesday.
She further stated that the new curriculum targets to continuously offer assessment tests in which teachers will not only offer them through written form but also explore other ways such as oral.
“Apart from written tests, teachers can embrace the use of oral tests for language proficiency, observation schedules as learners engage in learning activities, use of rubrics that give a qualitative description of what a learner is able to do, use of projects in a small way and use of portfolio assessment to gather evidence of learning over a given period of time,” she continued.
Karogo was speaking to teachers who were undergoing training in the new curriculum roll out on Thursday, April 25, 2019.
The exercise's rollout was, however, hit by numerous obstacles as Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) was opposed to the entire proposal with some officials in areas like Bungoma and Homa Bay evicting teachers from training centres.
Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha vowed to see the rollout through and that threats from (KNUT) could not deter him.
