TSC and Ministry rolls out countrywide inspection of schools
The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) and officials from the Ministry of Education have begun a nationwide inspection of schools.
This team, consisting of officers from the TSC County and Sub County Directors’ offices, the Curriculum Support Office, and the Ministry of Education, is tasked with assessing the quality of education and facilities in schools.
While the primary focus of the inspection is on the readiness of Grade 9 classes, the team will also evaluate sanitation standards, school staffing, teacher preparedness, and the availability of teaching and learning materials, among other factors.
Many schools are still facing challenges with incomplete Grade 9 classrooms, despite the significant funding allocated for this initiative.
In the first week of the second term, both primary and junior school sections received updated textbooks. Specifically, at least two classes in primary and one class in junior schools received the new set of rationalized books.
Heads of Institutions (HOIs) have begun notifying teachers to prepare and present their professional documents in anticipation of the inspection.
Teachers are expected to have their professional documents, including Schemes of Work, Lesson Plans, Class Attendance Registers, Progress Records, and Records of Work Covered, updated and ready.
School heads and their deputies must also maintain class attendance registers and lesson observation forms to monitor teachers’ classroom activities in accordance with the teacher appraisal system.
Additionally, HOIs are required to complete and submit a Performance Contract form to the TSC Sub County Directors, as per TSC regulations.
This inspection occurs just a month before schools break for the half-term, which is scheduled for June 24, 2025.
The inspection coincides with Grade 4 and 5 learners in primary schools completing their School Based Assessment (SBA) projects.
The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) has set a deadline of May 31, 2025, for schools to upload these SBA projects for Grades 4 and 5.
In March, KNEC made the projects available for download on the schools’ Competency Based Assessment (CBA) portals for administration to students.
Schools are required to conduct the performance tasks (projects and practicals), score them, and upload the assessment results for all learners on the CBA portal by the specified deadline.
According to KNEC, these tasks must be uploaded by May 31, 2025, and both grades will have projects in Science and Technology, Creative Arts, Physical Education, and Agriculture and Nutrition.
Many schools have adhered to the timelines, having completed the projects and practicals and are now focused on submitting the scores.
In a circular dated January 21, 2025, KNEC instructed primary headteachers to retain all records and evidence generated from the assessments.
To reduce costs, KNEC advised that materials for the assessments should be sourced from the immediate school environment or improvised as much as possible.
Schools are also conducting projects and practicals in other classes. In primary schools, Grades 3, 4, and 5 are involved in these projects.
In junior schools, all Grades 7, 8, and 9 are participating in assessment projects and practicals.
Grade 3 students are undertaking the Integrated Learning Assessment (ILA), which encompasses all learning areas.
Grades 7 and 8 are working on projects in Agriculture, Creative Arts, Sports, and Integrated Science.
Grade 9 learners are engaged in the KJSEA project focusing on Creative Arts and Sports. KNEC will impose a fine of 500 shillings on schools for late submission of KJSEA project scores.
Below are the subjects with projects and practicals, along with the dates for downloading assessment materials and the final deadlines for uploading scores.
| Level and Subjects | Date to be accessed | Last Date to Upload scores | |
| Grade 4 (Subjects with Project, Practical & Performance Tasks) | (i) Science & Technology (ii) Creative Arts & Sports (iii) Agriculture & Nutrition |
3rd March 2025 | 31st May 2025 |
| Grade 5 (Subjects with Project, Practical & Performance Tasks) | (i) Science & Technology (ii) Creative Arts & Sports (iii) Agriculture & Nutrition |
3rd March 2025 | 31st May 2025 |
| SNE Intermediate Level (Performance Tasks) | (i) Communication, (ii) Social and Literacy Skills (iii) Daily Living Skills and Religious Education (iv) Sensory Motor Integration (v) Creative Activities (vi) Numeracy Activities (vii) Environmental Activities (viii) Psychomotor Activities |
3rd March 2025 | 31st May 2025 |
| Grade | Subjects with Project/Practical/Performance Tasks | Date to be accessed | Last Date to Upload scores |
| Grade 3 and Foundation Level | Integrated Learning Assessment i) Regular Learners ii) Hearing Impairment iii) Visually Impairment iv) Physical Disabilities v) SNE Foundation Level |
5th May 2025 | 31st July 2025 |
| Grade 7 | i) Agriculture ii) Creative Arts and Sports iii) Integrated Science |
5th May 2025 | 31st July 2025 |
| Grade 8 | i) Agriculture ii) Creative Arts and Sports iii) Integrated Science |
5th May 2025 | 31st July 2025 |
| Intermediate Level | i) Communication and Social Skills ii) Daily Living Skills and Religious Education (CRE,IRE,HRE) iii) Sensory Motor Integration iv) Creative Activities v) Numeracy Activities vi) Movement Activities |
5th May 2025 | 31st July 2025 |
| Prevocational Level | i) Prevocational Skills ii) Communication and functional literacy skills iii) Daily living skills and nutrition iv) Music and movement v) Physical education vi) Social studies vii) Religious Education (CRE/IRE/HRE) |
5th May 2025 | 31st July 2025 |
Also Grade 9 learners will sit for a qualifying test courtesy of the Kenya National Examinations Council from 9th June 2025.
The test will be done online and aims to test learners ability to sit for the upcoming Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA).
Knec has already released a timetable for the test which shows it will take three days. The first day 9th June will be rehearsal.
On Tuesday 10th June the learners will do Mathematics from 8:30am to 10:30am then English from 11:30am to 1:10pm.
On Wednesday 11th June they will do Integrated Science from 8:30am to 10:10am then Kiswahili from 11:10am to 12:50pm.
Below is a timetable that was released by Knec to guide the online test.
| DAY | PERIOD | ITEM NO. | PAPER/SUBJECT | DURATION |
| MONDAY 09.06.2025 |
REHEARSAL DAY | |||
| TUESDAY 10.06.2025 |
8:30am – 10:30am (1st session) |
1 | QT-JS 903 Mathematics | 2 hours |
| 10:30am – 11:30am | BREAK | 1 hour | ||
| 11:30am – 1:10pm (2nd session) |
2 | QT-JS 901 English | 1 hour 40 minutes | |
| WEDNESDAY 11.06.2025 |
8:30am – 10:10am (1st session) |
3 | QT-JS 905 Integrated Science | 1 hour 40 minutes |
| 10:10am – 11:10am | BREAK | 1 hour | ||
| 11:30am – 1:10pm (2nd session) |
4 | QT-JS 902 Kiswahili | 1 hour 40 minutes |
TSC and Ministry rolls out countrywide inspection of schools
The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) and officials from the Ministry of Education have begun a nationwide inspection of schools.
This team, consisting of officers from the TSC County and Sub County Directors’ offices, the Curriculum Support Office, and the Ministry of Education, is tasked with assessing the quality of education and facilities in schools.
While the primary focus of the inspection is on the readiness of Grade 9 classes, the team will also evaluate sanitation standards, school staffing, teacher preparedness, and the availability of teaching and learning materials, among other factors.
Many schools are still facing challenges with incomplete Grade 9 classrooms, despite the significant funding allocated for this initiative.
In the first week of the second term, both primary and junior school sections received updated textbooks. Specifically, at least two classes in primary and one class in junior schools received the new set of rationalized books.
Heads of Institutions (HOIs) have begun notifying teachers to prepare and present their professional documents in anticipation of the inspection.
Teachers are expected to have their professional documents, including Schemes of Work, Lesson Plans, Class Attendance Registers, Progress Records, and Records of Work Covered, updated and ready.
School heads and their deputies must also maintain class attendance registers and lesson observation forms to monitor teachers’ classroom activities in accordance with the teacher appraisal system.
Additionally, HOIs are required to complete and submit a Performance Contract form to the TSC Sub County Directors, as per TSC regulations.
This inspection occurs just a month before schools break for the half-term, which is scheduled for June 24, 2025.
The inspection coincides with Grade 4 and 5 learners in primary schools completing their School Based Assessment (SBA) projects.
The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) has set a deadline of May 31, 2025, for schools to upload these SBA projects for Grades 4 and 5.
In March, KNEC made the projects available for download on the schools’ Competency Based Assessment (CBA) portals for administration to students.
Schools are required to conduct the performance tasks (projects and practicals), score them, and upload the assessment results for all learners on the CBA portal by the specified deadline.
According to KNEC, these tasks must be uploaded by May 31, 2025, and both grades will have projects in Science and Technology, Creative Arts, Physical Education, and Agriculture and Nutrition.
Many schools have adhered to the timelines, having completed the projects and practicals and are now focused on submitting the scores.
In a circular dated January 21, 2025, KNEC instructed primary headteachers to retain all records and evidence generated from the assessments.
To reduce costs, KNEC advised that materials for the assessments should be sourced from the immediate school environment or improvised as much as possible.
Schools are also conducting projects and practicals in other classes. In primary schools, Grades 3, 4, and 5 are involved in these projects.
In junior schools, all Grades 7, 8, and 9 are participating in assessment projects and practicals.
Grade 3 students are undertaking the Integrated Learning Assessment (ILA), which encompasses all learning areas.
Grades 7 and 8 are working on projects in Agriculture, Creative Arts, Sports, and Integrated Science.
Grade 9 learners are engaged in the KJSEA project focusing on Creative Arts and Sports. KNEC will impose a fine of 500 shillings on schools for late submission of KJSEA project scores.
Below are the subjects with projects and practicals, along with the dates for downloading assessment materials and the final deadlines for uploading scores.
| Level and Subjects | Date to be accessed | Last Date to Upload scores | |
| Grade 4 (Subjects with Project, Practical & Performance Tasks) | (i) Science & Technology (ii) Creative Arts & Sports (iii) Agriculture & Nutrition |
3rd March 2025 | 31st May 2025 |
| Grade 5 (Subjects with Project, Practical & Performance Tasks) | (i) Science & Technology (ii) Creative Arts & Sports (iii) Agriculture & Nutrition |
3rd March 2025 | 31st May 2025 |
| SNE Intermediate Level (Performance Tasks) | (i) Communication, (ii) Social and Literacy Skills (iii) Daily Living Skills and Religious Education (iv) Sensory Motor Integration (v) Creative Activities (vi) Numeracy Activities (vii) Environmental Activities (viii) Psychomotor Activities |
3rd March 2025 | 31st May 2025 |
| Grade | Subjects with Project/Practical/Performance Tasks | Date to be accessed | Last Date to Upload scores |
| Grade 3 and Foundation Level | Integrated Learning Assessment i) Regular Learners ii) Hearing Impairment iii) Visually Impairment iv) Physical Disabilities v) SNE Foundation Level |
5th May 2025 | 31st July 2025 |
| Grade 7 | i) Agriculture ii) Creative Arts and Sports iii) Integrated Science |
5th May 2025 | 31st July 2025 |
| Grade 8 | i) Agriculture ii) Creative Arts and Sports iii) Integrated Science |
5th May 2025 | 31st July 2025 |
| Intermediate Level | i) Communication and Social Skills ii) Daily Living Skills and Religious Education (CRE,IRE,HRE) iii) Sensory Motor Integration iv) Creative Activities v) Numeracy Activities vi) Movement Activities |
5th May 2025 | 31st July 2025 |
| Prevocational Level | i) Prevocational Skills ii) Communication and functional literacy skills iii) Daily living skills and nutrition iv) Music and movement v) Physical education vi) Social studies vii) Religious Education (CRE/IRE/HRE) |
5th May 2025 | 31st July 2025 |
Also Grade 9 learners will sit for a qualifying test courtesy of the Kenya National Examinations Council from 9th June 2025.
The test will be done online and aims to test learners ability to sit for the upcoming Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA).
Knec has already released a timetable for the test which shows it will take three days. The first day 9th June will be rehearsal.
On Tuesday 10th June the learners will do Mathematics from 8:30am to 10:30am then English from 11:30am to 1:10pm.
On Wednesday 11th June they will do Integrated Science from 8:30am to 10:10am then Kiswahili from 11:10am to 12:50pm.
Below is a timetable that was released by Knec to guide the online test.
| DAY | PERIOD | ITEM NO. | PAPER/SUBJECT | DURATION |
| MONDAY 09.06.2025 |
REHEARSAL DAY | |||
| TUESDAY 10.06.2025 |
8:30am – 10:30am (1st session) |
1 | QT-JS 903 Mathematics | 2 hours |
| 10:30am – 11:30am | BREAK | 1 hour | ||
| 11:30am – 1:10pm (2nd session) |
2 | QT-JS 901 English | 1 hour 40 minutes | |
| WEDNESDAY 11.06.2025 |
8:30am – 10:10am (1st session) |
3 | QT-JS 905 Integrated Science | 1 hour 40 minutes |
| 10:10am – 11:10am | BREAK | 1 hour | ||
| 11:30am – 1:10pm (2nd session) |
4 | QT-JS 902 Kiswahili | 1 hour 40 minutes |