KNEC to fine schools Sh500 for each late CBC project upload in 2025

The Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) has announced that schools will face a fine of Sh500 for every Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) project uploaded past the official submission deadline.

This directive affects schools submitting projects for students in Grades 3, 7, and those undertaking the Kenya Junior Secondary Education Assessment (KJSEA), and comes as part of KNEC’s effort to tighten compliance with timelines for the 2025 academic year.

In a notice released on Monday, KNEC confirmed that the projects and performance tasks for Grades 3, 7, and 8, including stage-based pathways and KJSEA components, have been made available on the CBA portal for schools to access.

Schools are expected to administer these tasks, assess them, and upload the students' scores by July 31, 2025.

However, for KJSEA projects, which include both practical and theory components, the final submission date is August 30, 2025.

"The projects and performance tasks for Grades 3, 7, and 8, stage-based pathway and KJSEA have been uploaded on the CBA portal (https//cba.knec.ac.ke) for access by schools," the notice read in part.

The council has tasked headteachers with the responsibility of ensuring that learners complete the assigned project work and that their scores are uploaded accurately and on time.

In addition to submitting scores, each school and individual candidate is required to compile and maintain a project evidence file, which will be presented for further assessment and monitoring by the council.

While the process appears straightforward, KNEC’s warning underscores deeper concerns about possible disruptions in schools’ ability to meet the deadlines.

One of the most pressing challenges is the digital gap between urban and rural schools.

In many remote areas, limited access to internet services and poor digital infrastructure make it difficult for schools to reliably access the CBA portal or upload data within the given timeframes.

Beyond digital limitations, staffing challenges remain a major concern.

With the CBC curriculum placing increased emphasis on continuous assessment, many teachers are already stretched thin.

This was echoed by Teachers Service Commission (TSC) Chief Executive Nancy Macharia, who recently stated that the commission requires 25,839 additional teachers to adequately support learning in senior schools.

The added workload brought by project-based assessments means that in under-resourced schools, teachers and administrators may struggle to manage the demands of compiling, assessing, and uploading scores for each student, especially without sufficient manpower or support.

KNEC has maintained that despite the challenges, schools must comply with the set deadlines or risk accumulating hefty penalties.

With each late project attracting a fine of Sh500, the financial burden could be significant, especially for schools that submit in bulk or have a large number of candidates.

The council has not indicated whether any exemptions will be made for schools in hardship areas, but the current directive places full responsibility on school heads to ensure seamless execution of all CBC and KJSEA project activities.