Schools told to find ways of addressing learning gaps
By Irene Githinji, October 13, 2020
The Kenya National Examination Council (Knec) has urged schools to make appropriate preparations for assessment of learners.
This will be taken to address learning gaps and suggest interventions after the seven-month break.
Knec acting Chief Executive Officer Mercy Karogo in a circular to all head teachers, said Class Eight and Grade Four assessments will be administered from October 19 to 23, while that of other classes will be conducted upon reopening of specific classes.
“The overarching aim of the assessments is to inform on possible learning loss during the Covid-19 pandemic period and suggest interventions to be put in place to address the learning gaps,” said Dr Karogo.
Learning assessments seek to provide baseline on which interventions towards improved learning outcomes during the Covid-19 pandemic period can be hinged.
It also seeks to identify strengths and weaknesses in learner acquisition of specific subject content and skills with a view to providing focused interventions.
Valid data
Further, the assessment is meant to provide reliable and valid data to inform policy making processes and provide teachers with standardised assessment tools form which they can benchmark as they develop future assessment.
The assessment will also enhance teachers’ capacity in developing valid, reliable an efficient learning assessments at school level.
“It is hoped that the assessments will act as end of Term One, tests in the targeted subject by the closure of learning institutions, majority of schools may not have conducted the end of term assessments,” she explained.
Explaining the scope of assessment, Karogo said Standard Seven and Eight will be in all Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) subjects.
Standard Five and Six will be assessed n English, Kiswahili and Science while Grade Four in English, Kiswahili Mathematics, Environmental Activities and Science Technology.
Environmental Activities and Science Technology will be a combined paper assessing all strands from the environmental activities.
Grades One to Three will be assessed in Fundamental Literacy and Numeracy covering English, Kiswahili and Mathematics activities.