NAIROBI, Kenya – In a shift aimed at modernising learning and assessment, the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) has announced the establishment of assessment hubs in senior schools nationwide.
The initiative comes ahead of the introduction of the Competency-Based Education (CBE) system for Grade 10 learners in January 2026.
The hubs are designed to support hands-on learning, track student progress more effectively, and equip teachers with tools to evaluate competencies beyond traditional examinations.
They build on the success of 235 Junior School assessment hubs and the recently established Research, Innovation and Educational Assessment Resource Centre (RIEARC).
“Kenya is entering a phase that demands new thinking, new tools and new approaches to evaluating learners’ skills,” said KNEC Chief Executive Officer David Njengere. “We are moving towards assessments that value knowledge application, skills demonstration, creativity, and real-world performance.”
Unlike the former 8-4-4 system, which relied heavily on year-end examinations, the new senior school hubs will facilitate continuous, practical, and skills-based assessment.
The model recognises diverse learner talents across three pathways: Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM); Social Sciences; and Creative & Performing Arts and Sports Science.
“These hubs are not just assessment centres; they are innovation incubators,” Njengere said. “Teachers will experiment with new rubrics, project-based learning approaches, and ICT integration, while also receiving mentorship and professional learning sessions to enhance pathway-specific assessment skills.”
The hubs will host practical assessments in areas where many schools currently lack facilities or expertise, including robotics, laboratory sciences, agriculture, music, drama, and technical and vocational skills.
They will also act as central moderation points to standardise School-Based Assessment (SBA) scores, ensuring fairness, quality control, and secure handling of assessment evidence.
Inclusivity is a key focus. Thirty special schools offering the Stage-Based Curriculum at the vocational level are integrated into the hub framework, ensuring learners with varying abilities—academic, artistic, sporting, or technical—receive equitable support.
“Despite improvements in access, significant gaps remain in ensuring high-quality instruction reaches all learners,” Njengere noted. “The hubs, supported by RIEARC and informed by nearly a century of KNEC data, aim to address these inequalities through evidence-based policymaking.”
Principals and teachers have already undergone sensitisation workshops, covering hub operations, assessment registration, scoring systems, and integration of community service learning.
The hubs are expected to standardise assessments while addressing inconsistencies in teacher-scored evaluations.
Basic Education PS Julius Bitok welcomed the initiative, describing it as a visionary step aligned with Kenya’s long-term education goals.
“Unlike the 8-4-4 system, which focused on exams, the CBE model promotes holistic development. We are no longer testing only what students can remember; we are assessing what they can do,” he said.
The hubs are also expected to serve as regional centres for teacher development and educational innovation, with potential impact extending across East Africa.
As Kenya prepares for the Grade 10 transition, Njengere urged educators to embrace their roles as “assessment champions” and mentor colleagues in adopting the new CBE approach.
“At the end of this programme, the training is designed not only to build individual skills but also to strengthen institutional preparedness for Grade 10 assessments and beyond,” he said.
