KNEC has directed schools to access 2026 Grade 10 and vocational SBA projects and practicals on the CBA portal from July 2. Here's the full schedule, scoring rules and deadlines.
The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) has given schools the green light to log into the Competency-Based Assessment (CBA) portal from July 2 and begin pulling down the 2026 Grade 10 and vocational level School-Based Assessment (SBA) tools.
This is the next major step in rolling out continuous assessment for the pioneer Grade 10 cohort — the first group of learners moving through Senior School under the Competency-Based Education (CBE) system.
What KNEC Said in the Circular
In a circular obtained by Don Sami Live, KNEC laid out exactly how the process will run:
"KNEC will upload the Grade 10 and vocational level School Based Assessments on the KNEC CBA Portal. The projects and practicals will be administered in term 2 and the written tests in term 3."
That means the practical, hands-on component of the assessment happens now, in Term 2, while the written papers wait until Term 3. Schools have been told to have all learner scores uploaded by October 31.
How Principals Are Expected to Log In
Access isn't automatic. According to the circular, principals must:
- Log into the CBA portal using official school credentials
- Authenticate using a one-time password (OTP)
- Personally oversee the downloading of the assessment tools
- Coordinate administration of the projects and practicals
- Supervise the final submission of learner scores
Subject teachers then take over the actual assessment work, scoring learners against the official rubrics and guidelines KNEC has provided on the portal.
Keeping Evidence of Learners' Work
KNEC wants proof that the scores schools upload actually reflect what learners did. Schools have been directed to maintain proper records, including electronic portfolios — videos, photos and audio recordings — as evidence of each learner's work.
Where schools don't have specialised materials for certain practicals, KNEC has encouraged them to use improvised materials from the school environment rather than delay the assessment.
Zero Tolerance for Fabricated Scores
KNEC used unusually direct language on this point, warning that any tampering with scores will be treated as examination malpractice. The circular reads:
"Deviation in scoring, leading to over-awarding or uploading of fictitious scores not based on the learner's work, shall be considered as malpractice and attract administrative action in line with the provisions of the KNEC Act."
In plain terms: inflating marks, or uploading scores that don't match what a learner actually produced, could trigger disciplinary or legal consequences for the school or the individual teacher involved.
Why This Matters for Grade 12 Results
This isn't a side exercise. The Grade 10 SBA scores will count for 15 percent of a learner's final Grade 12 results — meaning what happens in these Term 2 and Term 3 assessments directly shapes a student's eventual senior school outcome.
The assessments span all four Senior School pathways:
- STEM
- Social Sciences
- Arts and Sports
- Vocational disciplines
For subjects like ICT and Physical Education (PE), KNEC will upload sample SBA tools to guide teachers on how to assess learners, but the actual assessment for these two subjects will be conducted entirely at the school level.
Part of a Bigger Tracking System
This portal access announcement follows KNEC's earlier directive requiring all principals to register their Grade 10 learners on the CBA portal by July 30. Together, the two directives point to one system: a national platform designed to track every learner from as early as Grade 3, all the way through to the end of Senior School.
For principals and teachers, the message from KNEC is clear — get onto the portal, follow the rubrics to the letter, keep your evidence, and don't cut corners on the timeline.