Examinations Council plan to ensure credible exams
By Irene.Githinji, December 24, 2021The Kenya National Examinations Council will regularly review the exam management process to enhance its credibility.
According to Knec’s new Strategic Plan 2021-26, reviewing will help in creating adequate checks and balances and enhance purposive monitoring of exam administration.
“With the advance in technology, there are still chances of having an increase in exam malpractice.
Measures were put in place to secure credibility of exams,” Knec says in the Strategic Plan.
Even as it checks on exams’ credibility, the council seeks to intensify lobbying for adequate and timely disbursement of funds from the Government and implement financial planning policies.
“The funding of school examinations is majorly reliant on Government allocations since 2015, which have remained constant for the last two years while the cost of administering exams has been rising,” Knec says.
Council says it requires Sh50.6 billion to not only implement the strategic plan but also for operational costs in five years while the expected financial allocation from the Exchequer is Sh44 billion.
Knec chief executive Dr David Njeng’ere said through this strategic plan, the council will reengineer itself and reform the assessment system to make it more resilient.
“What has happened is that the reforms took off at a very high speed but the institution needs to continuously reengineer itself so that it is resilient enough to carry these reforms,” he said.
Three principles
He also said Knec has identified three principles that will guide the process of reengineering the council, which are effectiveness, efficiency and economy. “We will deliver as per our mandate enshrined in the Act,” he said.
At the same time, the ongoing implementation of Competency-Based Curriculum will see Knec complete Competency-Based Assessment Framework up to Grade Six and for teacher education level within the five-year period of the Strategic Plan.
“There is need to revise the Knec legal framework, policies, strategies, procedures rules and regulations to be in line with requirements of Basic Education Curriculum Framework ,” the plan states.
As Knec implements the Competency -Based Assessment, it will progressively develop the framework for basic education, teacher education and business and technical exams.