This free comment bank gives teachers a starting sentence for CBC report cards. Filter by learning area and performance level, copy a comment, then change it so it matches the learner in front of you and the evidence in your assessment records. Do not paste the same sentence for a whole class.
The comments are original to CBC Guides. They are not official KNEC or KICD wording. Updated 12 November 2026.
Match the comment to the level
Junior and senior school reports use eight performance levels: Exceeding Expectations (EE1 and EE2), Meeting Expectations (ME1 and ME2), Approaching Expectations (AE1 and AE2) and Below Expectations (BE1 and BE2). Many lower-primary reports use the four broad bands only. A comment should agree with the level awarded. Praise that sounds like “excellent” next to an Approaching Expectations grade confuses parents.
The four broad bands in this bank are EE, ME, AE and BE. If your school reports EE1 or ME2, keep the same tone and add the finer distinction in your own words, using the descriptors your school was given. Our report card comments guide explains the three-part structure: one strength, one next step, and one realistic way home can help.
How to adapt a bank comment
- Pick the learning area and the level you have already awarded from evidence, not from hope.
- Replace general phrases with one specific skill, task or habit you can point to, such as a project, a practical or a piece of writing.
- Keep the next step small enough to try in the coming weeks.
- Make the home suggestion realistic for the family in front of you. Ten minutes of shared reading is more useful than a long list of extras.
- For Kiswahili, keep the comment in Kiswahili if that is how you teach and report the learning area.
What to avoid
- Vague wording such as “good” or “can do better” with no evidence.
- Comparing the learner with classmates.
- Labels such as “lazy” or “slow”.
- One identical comment for every learner in the class.
- A comment that contradicts the level on the report.
From comments to a printed report
When the wording is ready, enter levels and comments in the free CBC report card maker and print a clean report. School-based assessment tasks, projects and observation notes are the evidence behind the words; see school-based assessment explained and the projects and assessment hub. Schools that need class sets, a logo and shared formatting can look at school licences.
Sources and limits
Performance-level names follow the KNEC competency-based assessment language already described in our comments guide and grading explainers. Core competencies and values come from the KICD Basic Education Curriculum Framework. The sentences in the bank are ours, written as examples you must adapt. They are not a substitute for your professional judgement or for your school’s official reporting format.
CBC Guides is independent and is not approved by KICD or KNEC.
Frequently asked questions
May I copy a comment unchanged?
Use it as a draft only. Change the name of the skill, the evidence and the home suggestion so the comment could only be about that learner.
Why are there four levels here, not eight?
The four broad bands cover both junior school and lower primary. If you report EE1 or ME2, keep the band and add the finer description your school uses.
Are the Kiswahili comments officially approved?
No. They are original examples in Kiswahili for that learning area. Adapt them to the learner’s actual work.
Do you store the comments I copy?
No. Filtering and copying run in your browser. We do not receive the text you paste into a report.