KNEC frequently asked questions & Answers on KPSEA/CBA/JS

GET answers on KNEC frequently asked questions about KPSEA, CBA and JS.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ON KPSEA/CBA/JS

1. Transfer option for Grade 6 is not there. What can I do yet I have learners with assessment numbers from other schools which I am supposed to register for KPSEA?

Transfer in Grade 6 during registration for KPSEA is automated. When registering a learner for KPSEA, normally you enter the learner’s assessment number and search (and this applies to any Grade 6 learner in the CBA portal not only those in the centre). The details of the learner will pop up for editing and finally registering the learner once you click submit. Once the learner is successfully registered, the system will automatically transfer the learner to the new assessment centre.

2. Suppose a learner repeats a class, say due to medical grounds in which he/she may have missed a whole academic year, yet the system automatically moves his/her assessment number to the next grade, what should I do?

Write a letter to the CEO KNEC through the SCDE with the details of the centre and the learner. In the letter, give justification why the learner is to be returned to the previous grade, and this will be affected.

3. I can’t see my learners in the Grade 7 portal yet all of them sat for KPSEA and have the results. What do I do?

Fresh registration of learners is supposed to be done at Grade 7 (Junior School), the same way it is done for KPSEA. During the registration period, transfers are also automated, except in situations where the learner is already registered.

4. My learners were accidentally moved to the Foundation/Intermediate level or disappeared without trace from the CBA portal, what should I do?

This is unlikely to happen unless it is done maliciously when the password of the centre is entrusted to the wrong persons. Remember the CBA portal allows centres to place learners from the age-based pathway to the stage-based pathway. But in case it has happened, write a letter to KNEC and attach supporting evidence (in this case the nominal roll of the learners in that Grade before moving to Foundation/ Intermediate level or disappearing from the portal). Remember to highlight the affected learners on the evidence.

5. What should one do when learners registered in stage-based pathway have been erroneously moved by the school to stage-based pathway?

The Centre Manager should write to KNEC requesting the learners to be moved back to the age-based pathway at the appropriate grade.

6. Some of my learners who sat KPSEA have errors in their biodata, how can they be rectified?

Edit the learner’s biodata when undertaking fresh registration at Grade 7. The system will be synchronized to allow centres to download and print corrected Performance Reports. For those already in Grade 8, the edit option is enabled.

7. My learners sat for KPSEA in 2023 (and in some cases 2022) but did not get their results, what should I do?
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Through a bulk SMS sent from KNEC, Centre Managers were directed to query missing KPSEA results via [email protected] within 30 days after the release of results. The 30 days lapsed on 19th February 2024.
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Centres that lodged queries are advised that the queries have since been resolved (except very few cases that are still pending – majorly unregistered learners) and can access the Performance Reports of the affected learners in their school portal.
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Those that are yet to submit the queries are advised to do so by 29th March 2024.

Schools are advised to also ensure that they have downloaded and printed the performance reports for all their KPSEA learners before they are archived and hence will not be accessible.

8. I have received learners from other schools, placed a transfer request online in the CBA portal but my colleague headteacher on the other end is not acting on the request, what should I do?

Once a transfer request is placed in the CBA portal, the headteacher of the centre where the learner is transferring from will receive an SMS alert prompting him/her to login in the CBA portal and accept/reject the transfer request.

In case he/she fails to act within 14 days, the leaner will automatically be transferred and two headteachers will be notified through an SMS alert.

In case the transfer request is declined (for valid reasons), the two headteachers will be notified through SMS.
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Any contestations regarding transfers should be handled administratively through respective SCDE’s office.

9. I have learners in Grades 4, 5 and 6 without Assessment Numbers, what should I do?
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KNEC will provide a brief window for registering such learners. Centre Managers will be notified on the period through SMS.
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Ensure that you capture all unregistered learners during the limited period, because thereafter, registration of learners will only be done at Grade 3 as provided in the CBA guidelines.
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It is important to note that registration of learners at Grade 3 is ongoing. Take advantage to capture all eligible learners. The lack of a birth certificate should not be an excuse.

10. I have just received learners from other education systems (either within or without our borders) at Grade 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8. What should I do to have them acquire assessment numbers?

Apply for Equation of the qualifications of the learners via qmis.knec.ac.ke or visit the KNEC headquarters at South C. Learners who are issued with Equation letters will then be able to register and get an Assessment Number.

11. Suppose I receive a learner in Grade 6 after lapse of the registration period, what should I do?

Please note that there is no provision for late registration, and no transfers of registered learners will be allowed after lapse of the registration period. So, no new admissions will be allowed in Grade 6 after 29th March 2024.

12. Suppose I realize that there are errors in the biodata of the learners registered for KPSEA, what should I do?

Please utilize this registration period (which is adequate) to ensure registration data for all your learners is clean. Even if you have completed registration, please go over it again together with their parents/guardians to check for any errors in name, gender, date of birth, nationality, nature of disability (if any) and RE option for the learner. Edit these details at the school level before the end of the registration period. There will be no room for further corrections after the lapse of this period.

13. What happens when a Centre Manager refuses to register a learner for KPSEA because of the fees balance?

The government of Kenya pays examination fees for all learners. It is therefore an offence to bar a learner from registering for KPSEA.

14. What should a Centre Manager do with learners in Grades 7 and 8 who did not sit for KPSEA assessment?

A Centre Manager with such learners should write to the CEO, KNEC, providing details of the learners.

15. There are reported instances of Centre Managers refusing to release learners after a transfer request is made.

The issue should be reported to SCDE for administrative action.

16. There is a belief by a few persons that the current Grade 8 learners will sit for KNEC exam at the end of the Year.

The learners will undertake School Based Assessments at Grade 8 and final summative assessment at Grade 9, as guided by the Basic Education Curriculum Framework.

17. Are there age limits for KPSEA learners?

MoE has provided guidelines on the age bracket in which learners are expected to join pre-primary, lower primary and upper primary. Stakeholders should follow the guidelines provided by MoE.

18 What is the maximum number of subjects one can register for in KCSE?

The maximum number of subjects is 9 and minimum is 7 subjects for one to be graded.

19. What role do the Centre Managers and class teacher/subject teacher play during the conduct of KILEA examination?

The Centre Manager facilitates downloading of the assessment tools while the class teacher/subject teachers administer, mark and score the candidates’ work and finally, the Centre Managers upload/submit the scores into KNEC portal.

20. What happens to learners’ Assessment Numbers when a school closes down?

The SCDE should ensure that the information is brought to the attention of KNEC, immediately so that the learners’ Assessment Numbers are preserved for reference.

21. My assessment centre is wrongly spelt (or the name has changed due to re-registration), what should I do.

Apply for the rectification/change in name to KNEC through your SCDE and attach a copy of the correct registration certificate and a deposit slip of Kes3,000.00 payable to the KNEC collection account.

22. My Assessment Centre is wrongly aligned – I am forced to pick my examination materials from a container that is very far/or on a rough terrain yet there is another container that is more accessible to me, what should I do?

Please liaise with your SCDE so that this is promptly corrected before the end of the registration period. The collection point always appears on the nominal roll for reference. Confirm that the nominal roll reads 2024 KPSEA not Grade 6.

23. The contact appearing on the nominal roll is erroneous – it belongs to the former headteacher, how can I correct it?

The school can login to CBA portal and select KPSEA, then go to “Update School Details”. Here, they will find details of the headteacher (Name, Telephone Number, Postal Address and Email). NB: all the details are open for editing. Upon correcting, click on “Update” to effect the changes.