The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) has issued a firm directive warning all learning institutions that delays in uploading Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) project scores for the year 2025 will attract steep financial penalties.
In a notice released on Monday, May 12, KNEC confirmed that any school failing to meet the stipulated deadlines for project submission will be charged Ksh500 for each project uploaded late.
The council’s notice specifically targets schools with learners in Grades 3, 7, and 8, as well as those undertaking the Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA). These institutions are expected to manage and upload project scores via the Council’s Competency-Based Assessment (CBA) portal, accessible at https://cba.knec.ac.ke.
According to KNEC, schools must administer the relevant projects and performance tasks and ensure the scores are uploaded to the system by July 31, 2025, for Grades 3, 7, and 8. The deadline for uploading Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA) project work, which includes both theory and practical components, is August 30, 2025.
KNEC emphasized the critical role of timely and accurate submissions in the national education assessment process. KNEC has now placed the responsibility squarely on school heads to guarantee compliance with the submission guidelines.
Headteachers are not only expected to oversee the completion of project work by candidates but must also ensure the scores are captured correctly and uploaded to the portal without delays.
In addition, each learner and their school must maintain a physical file of evidence containing completed project work, which will be reviewed during official assessments and monitoring exercises. These records are key to ensuring transparency and accountability in the CBC evaluation process.
However, while the guidelines may seem straightforward, KNEC’s warning underscores deeper systemic challenges that many schools continue to face, particularly in under-resourced and remote parts of the country.
For schools in rural and marginalized areas, the risk of missing submission deadlines is significantly higher due to limited internet access, power outages, and the lack of essential digital infrastructure.
In such regions, even basic internet connectivity can be intermittent, making it difficult for school administrators to access the CBA portal or upload large volumes of data in time.
Additionally, a shortage of teaching staff continues to strain the ability of schools to effectively implement the CBC curriculum and manage continuous assessments. The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) recently disclosed that it requires at least 25,839 additional teachers to adequately meet the demands of senior schools transitioning into the CBC system.
TSC CEO Dr. Nancy Macharia has expressed concern about the growing gap between the number of learners and available teaching staff, warning that unless addressed, the shortage will continue to compromise the quality of education and the timely execution of assessments.
The CBC framework, with Its heavy reliance on hands-on learning and project-based evaluation, demands a high level of engagement and supervision from teachers. Without adequate staffing, schools are at risk of falling behind in not only teaching but also in fulfilling essential administrative tasks like uploading student scores.
With the new measures in place, school administrators are expected to adopt stringent internal monitoring systems to ensure they remain within the submission timelines.
The fines, while meant to enforce compliance, could pose a significant financial burden on already struggling institutions, particularly public schools that rely on limited funding.
KNEC’s move also signals a broader push by the government to enforce discipline and efficiency within the evolving education system.
As the CBC continues to unfold across the country, it is becoming increasingly clear that the system’s success will depend not just on policy and curriculum reforms, but also on the capacity of schools to keep up with technological, logistical, and human resource demands.
Related Content: Examiners Who Marked Exams In 2024 Are Yet To Be Paid By KNEC
