Last reviewed: 18 October 2026
Many parents think the only assessments that count under Competency-Based Education (CBE) are the national papers in Grade 6 and Grade 9. In fact, a large share of what counts is done in your child’s own classroom, through school-based assessment (SBA). SBA scores from Grades 4, 5 and 6 make up most of the KPSEA result. SBA from Grades 7 and 8 contributes a fifth of the score used for senior school placement. This guide explains how SBA works and how to make sure your child does not lose marks by missing it. Details are as of October 2026.
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What SBA Is
SBA uses assessment tools set by the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) and done in school. KNEC uploads the tools, either written tests or performance tasks, to its Competency-Based Assessment (CBA) portal. Schools download them, give them to learners, score them with KNEC’s scoring guides and upload every learner’s score back to the portal. Teachers do the marking, but the tasks and marking guides are national.
The 2026 SBA Window
In August 2026, KNEC CEO Dr David Njeng’ere issued the 2026 schedule (Pulse Kenya):
- Tools for Grades 3, 4, 5, 7 and 8 available on the CBA portal from 28 September 2026.
- Schools to upload learners’ scores by 23 October 2026.
- Grade 3 (the Kenya Early Years Assessment): written assessment in Mathematics and English Activities.
- Grades 4 and 5: written tests in Mathematics, English, Kiswahili, Kenyan Sign Language, Agriculture, Science and Technology, Social Studies, Religious Education (CRE, IRE, HRE) and Creative Arts.
- Grades 7 and 8: written tests in Mathematics, English, Kiswahili, Kenyan Sign Language, Social Studies, CRE/IRE/HRE, Integrated Science, Agriculture, Creative Arts & Sports and Pre-Technical Studies.
Grade 9 is not on the 2026 SBA list, because Grade 9 learners sit KJSEA, and Grade 6 learners sit KPSEA. KNEC also told schools to print tools with colour images in colour (or show them on devices) and to keep all records and evidence from the assessment.
How SBA Counts
| Stage | Where SBA counts | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Grades 4, 5 and 6 | Part of the KPSEA result | 60% of KPSEA (the Grade 6 national papers are the other 40%) |
| Grades 7 and 8 | Senior school placement score | 20% (KJSEA 60%, KPSEA 20%) |
The KPSEA split comes from KNEC’s chief executive (Daily Nation). The 60:20:20 placement split was confirmed by KNEC and the Ministry of Education (MoE statement). Because KPSEA itself feeds 20% into placement, SBA done back in Grade 4 still has an effect when your child leaves Grade 9.
KNEC also made SBA a condition for sitting KJSEA in the first cohort. A Grade 9 candidate had to have SBA scores for Grades 7 and 8 in all learning areas (Daily Nation). Missing SBA is therefore a serious problem, not a small one.
What Parents Should Do
- Know the window. In 2026, SBA runs from late September to 23 October. Avoid taking your child out of school then.
- Ask if the scores were uploaded. Schools can see each learner’s records on the KNEC portal. It is reasonable to ask the class teacher to confirm your child’s SBA scores are in.
- Report absences early. If your child was sick during SBA, tell the school so the tool can be given before the upload deadline.
- Check after a transfer. When a child changes school, make sure earlier SBA records are linked to the new school’s register. Transfers at Grade 9 must be done online.
- Treat SBA as feedback. Ask how your child did and which strands were weak. SBA results are an early warning, years before KJSEA.
SBA Is Not the Same as Classroom Tests
Schools also give their own end-of-term tests and buy commercial exam papers. Those are useful practice, but they are not SBA and are not uploaded to KNEC. Only the KNEC-issued tools on the CBA portal count. If a school asks parents to pay for “SBA papers”, ask whether these are the KNEC tools, which schools download from the portal, or the school’s own tests.
Is SBA Fair?
Because teachers mark SBA, parents sometimes worry about inconsistency between schools. KNEC’s answer is to issue the same tools and scoring guides nationally and to require schools to keep evidence. SBA also has a limited weight: 20% of placement, against 60% for the KNEC-marked KJSEA. Taken together, KNEC presents this as a way to “capture growth over time”, in Dr Njeng’ere’s words, rather than judging a child on a single exam (The Star).
Related reading: KPSEA explained, KJSEA explained and how CBC grading works.
Sources
- KNEC memo on the 2026 SBA schedule, reported by Pulse Kenya (27 August 2026).
- Daily Nation and Daily Nation, quoting KNEC.