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The Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms (PWPER) has called for clear guidelines on identification, selection and placement of learners to various career pathways and tertiary institutions.

The team, led by Prof Raphael Munavu called for the need to review Competency Based Assessment Framework (CBAF) to restructure Grade Six Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA).

They proposed that KPSEA be used for purposes of monitoring learners’ progress and providing feedback not for placement and also, that mechanisms for administering assessments within the school daily routine be developed.

“On assessment, there are no clear guidelines on the identification, selection and placement of learners into the various career pathways and into tertiary institutions. The high-stake examinations have led to malpractices and credibility issues,” the taskforce stated.

“The deployment of police officers during national examinations creates a different atmosphere from the normal learning situation. Teachers are not adequately capacitated to realise the benefits of formative assessment,” the members added.

At Grade Six, the working group recommended that KPSEA be computed as cumulative score of School Based Assessments (SBAs) for Grade 4-6 for purposes of monitoring learners’ progress and providing feedback to stakeholders.

At Grade 9, it should comprise 20 per cent of KPSEA, 20 per cent of SBAs in Grade 7 and 8 and 60 per cent of summative evaluation at Grade 9 while at Grade 12, it should comprise 70 per cent summative assessment and 30 per cent of SBAs, Assessment of Community Service Learning (CSL), values and competencies.

Similarly, the Ministry will be expected to provide for selection and placement of learners into career pathways to senior school based on performance and personal interest.

It has also proposed that computation of KCSE mean score by KNEC to be based on Mathematics, English or Kiswahili and five other best performed subjects.