All set as KNEC releases pioneer Grade Six CBC examination timetable

Candidates sitting the national exams in December have until Saturday midnight to register for the tests.

They include the pioneer Competence-Based Curriculum (CBC) cohort which is expected to sit the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) between November 28 and November 30.

An exam timetable released by the Kenya National Examination Council (Knec) indicates the rules that have been applied during the administration of the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) and the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) will also apply to the pioneer Grade Six candidates.

Rehearsals for the three-day examinations have been planned for Friday, November 25. 

Those sitting Grade Six examinations and the KCSE qualifying test must observe the same registration deadline.

The candidates will be tackling two papers in a day starting 8.30am. The second paper will be starting at 11am. There will be no examinations in the afternoon, according to Knec’s schedule.

On the first day, students will sit for Mathematics and Mathematics (Large Print) tests which will take 1 hour and 20 minutes, while Mathematics (Braille) will take one hour and 50 minutes.

English and English (Large Print), will take one hour while English (Hearing Impaired), and English (Braille) will last 20 minutes more.

Integrated Science tests will take 1 hour and 40 minutes. Integrated Science (Large Print) and Integrated Science (Braille) exams will take 2hours and 10 minutes.

The learners will tackle Kiswahili and Kenyan Sign Language tests after the break. The exams will last for 1 hour. Kiswahili (Braille) will take 1 hour and 20 minutes. The last day will see students sit for the Creative Arts & Social Studies examinations that will take 1 hour 40 minutes.

The Ministry of Education has said it will continue to apply stringent measures to curb examination irregularities. The students are required to be seated 15 minutes before the start of an exam.

And as has been the case, candidates will not be allowed to have cell phones or any other electronic device in examination centres. Candidates who will be found with the items will have their examination results cancelled, according to the schedule.

Furthermore, any form of misconduct or causing of disturbance in or near the assessment rooms will be treated as an assessment irregularity.

Notebooks, notes, papers or any other material will not be allowed in the examinations rooms. Only the correct question papers and materials expressly authorised by the Knec will be allowed.

“Candidates who commit an assessment irregularity in any paper will have the results for the entire subject cancelled,” reads the rules.

And if there is evidence of widespread irregularities in any assessment centre, the assessment results for the whole centre will be cancelled, according to the examinations agency.

Those found with assessment materials or knowingly reveal their contents, including the candidates, will be subjected to imprisonment for a term not exceeding ten years, or a fine not exceeding Sh2 two million or both. This will apply whether the offence is committed orally or in writing, to an unauthorised party, whether a candidate or not.

“The council further cautions that willful and malicious damaging assessment materials will lead to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years or a fine not exceeding Sh5 million or both,” reads the rules.

“Imposters not registered to take a Knec assessment but, with intent to impersonate, presents or attempts to present themselves to take the part of an enrolled candidate will be liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or a fine not exceeding two million shillings or both and shall be prohibited from taking an assessment conducted by or on behalf of the Council for a period of three years.”