If you are a teacher in Kenya's CBC (now CBE) system, you have heard about rubrics. You have been told to use them. You have probably been given vague training on what they should look like. But creating a rubric that actually works in a real classroom — one that is specific enough to be useful, fair enough to be consistent, and practical enough that you can actually fill it in for 45 learners — is a very different challenge.
This article is a practical, step-by-step guide to writing assessment rubrics that work. Not theory. Not policy language. Real rubrics you can use tomorrow.
Step 1: Start With the KICD Curriculum Design
Every rubric must be rooted in the official specific learning outcomes from the KICD curriculum design for your grade and learning area. Do not invent your own outcomes — use the ones KICD has defined.
Open the curriculum design for your grade and subject. Find the strand and sub-strand you are teaching this term. Copy the exact specific learning outcomes (SLOs) listed. Each SLO becomes a row in your rubric.
Example: Grade 7 Mathematics, Strand: Algebra, Sub-Strand: Linear Equations
KICD Specific Learning Outcome: "By the end of the sub-strand, the learner should be able to solve linear equations in one unknown."
This SLO becomes the basis for one row of your rubric.
Step 2: Define What Each Level Looks Like
For each specific learning outcome, you need to describe what a learner's work looks like at each of the four competency levels:
| Level | Key Question to Ask | Descriptor Should Be... |
|---|---|---|
| EE (Exceeding) | Can this learner apply the skill in unfamiliar or challenging contexts? | About extension, application, creativity, and transfer to new situations |
| ME (Meeting) | Can this learner do what the curriculum expects independently? | About meeting the SLO fully, accurately, and independently |
| AE (Approaching) | Can this learner do it with help or partially? | About partial understanding, needing guidance, or inconsistency |
| BE (Below) | Does this learner struggle significantly with the basic concept? | About fundamental difficulty, inability to perform even with support |
Step 3: Write Specific, Observable Descriptors
This is where most rubrics fail. Vague descriptors like "good understanding" or "needs improvement" are useless. Write descriptors that describe observable behaviour or work product.
Example: Grade 7 Mathematics — Linear Equations Rubric (Filled In)
| Specific Learning Outcome | BE (Below) | AE (Approaching) | ME (Meeting) | EE (Exceeding) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solve linear equations in one unknown | Cannot identify what the unknown is. Unable to perform basic operations to isolate the variable. Gets fewer than 2 out of 10 equations correct. | Can solve simple equations (e.g., x + 5 = 12) but struggles with equations requiring multiple steps. Gets 4-5 out of 10 correct. Needs teacher prompting for more complex equations. | Correctly solves linear equations involving addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Handles equations with brackets and those requiring 2-3 steps. Gets 7-8 out of 10 correct independently. | Solves all standard linear equations correctly AND can formulate equations from word problems, solve equations involving fractions, and explain the method to peers. Gets 9-10 out of 10 correct. |
| Represent linear equations on a number line | Cannot draw a number line correctly. Unable to mark solutions on the line. | Draws a number line but places solution values inaccurately. Can mark integer solutions but not fractions or decimals. | Draws a clear number line with correct scale. Accurately marks the solution to the equation. Labels the number line appropriately. | Represents solutions on a number line AND uses the number line to verify solutions, show solution ranges, and connect to inequality representations. |
| Apply linear equations to real-life situations | Cannot identify how a real-life problem relates to an equation. Unable to extract mathematical information from a word problem. | Can sometimes identify the mathematical operation needed but cannot consistently form the equation. Solves some word problems with teacher guidance. | Reads a word problem, correctly identifies the unknown, forms the correct equation, solves it, and gives the answer in context (with units where needed). | Solves complex word problems independently AND creates original word problems for peers. Can explain why the equation models the real situation. Checks answers for reasonableness. |
Notice the difference between the rubric above and a vague rubric that says "good at equations" or "needs improvement". The specific descriptors tell both teacher and learner exactly what is expected.
Step 4: Include Assessment Methods
At the bottom of your rubric, note which assessment methods you will use to determine each learner's level:
- Written test — End-of-topic quiz or end-of-term exam
- Observation — Watching learners work through problems in class
- Oral questioning — Asking learners to explain their method
- Project work — Practical application tasks
- Portfolio evidence — Samples of classwork and homework
Using multiple methods gives a more accurate picture than relying on one exam alone. This is the essence of CBA — assessing competency through multiple lenses.
The 7 Most Common Rubric Mistakes
These are the errors we see most often in CBC (now CBE) rubrics across Kenyan schools:
1. Vague Descriptors
Wrong: "EE = Excellent understanding of the topic"
Right: "EE = Solves all linear equations correctly, including those with fractions, and can formulate equations from word problems independently"
2. Using Percentage Scores as Levels
Wrong: "ME = 60-79%"
CBA levels are about what a learner can do, not a percentage score. A learner who scores 65% on a test might be ME in one strand and BE in another. The level should reflect competency, not a number.
3. Making EE Impossible to Achieve
Some teachers set EE criteria so high that no learner can ever achieve it. EE should be challenging but achievable for the strongest learners in the grade. It means "beyond grade-level expectations" — not "beyond human ability".
4. Making BE Too Harsh
BE does not mean "zero effort" or "complete failure". It means the learner has not yet met the minimum learning outcomes. A learner in BE still knows something — they just need significant support to reach the expected level.
5. Copy-Pasting the Same Rubric Across Subjects
A Mathematics rubric should look different from an English rubric which should look different from a Science rubric. The specific learning outcomes, assessment methods, and competency descriptions are unique to each learning area.
6. Not Sharing the Rubric With Learners
The most effective rubrics are shared with learners before the assessment. When learners know what ME and EE look like, they have clear targets to aim for. A hidden rubric only helps the teacher grade — a shared rubric helps the learner improve.
7. Not Updating Rubrics Each Term
Rubrics should evolve as the curriculum progresses. A Term 1 rubric for Algebra will look different from a Term 3 rubric because the content has advanced. Do not reuse the same rubric all year.
Rubric Template You Can Use
Here is a blank template you can adapt for any learning area and grade:
| SLO | BE (1) | AE (2) | ME (3) | EE (4) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [Copy from KICD curriculum design] | [What does struggling look like?] | [What does partial success look like?] | [What does meeting the standard look like?] | [What does going beyond look like?] |
| [SLO 2] | ||||
| [SLO 3] |
Assessment Methods: [ ] Written Test [ ] Observation [ ] Oral [ ] Project [ ] Portfolio
Teacher: _______________ Date: _______________ Grade: _______________ Subject: _______________
How to Use the Rubric in Practice
- Before teaching — Review the rubric so you know what you are building towards
- During teaching — Share the ME and EE descriptors with learners as learning targets
- During assessment — Use the rubric to score each learner on each SLO
- After assessment — Use BE and AE results to plan remediation activities
- For reporting — Transfer rubric levels to the CBC (now CBE) report card format
Frequently Asked Questions
How many rubrics do I need per term?
You need one rubric per strand per learning area per term. For example, if Grade 7 Mathematics covers 3 strands in Term 1 (Numbers, Algebra, Geometry), you need 3 rubrics for Maths that term. Across all 13 learning areas, this adds up to approximately 30-40 rubrics per term. Yes, this is a lot of work — which is exactly why many teachers use pre-made rubrics from resources like CBC Edu Kenya.
Can I give a learner different levels in the same subject?
Yes. A learner can be ME in the Numbers strand but AE in the Geometry strand of Mathematics. The rubric assesses each specific learning outcome independently. The overall subject level on the report card is typically the most common level across all strands, or a holistic judgement informed by all the strand-level rubric scores.
What if a learner is between two levels?
Use your professional judgement. If a learner is borderline between AE and ME, consider: can they do it independently most of the time? If yes, lean towards ME. If they still need guidance more often than not, AE is more accurate. Document specific evidence to support your decision. The rubric is a guide, not a rigid formula.
Are rubrics required by KICD or are they optional?
Rubrics are a core component of Competency-Based Assessment under CBC (now CBE). KICD expects teachers to use rubrics for assessment. They are not optional — they are the mechanism by which CBA levels (BE, AE, ME, EE) are determined. Schools that do not use rubrics are not implementing CBA as designed. TSC quality assurance officers check for rubric usage during school inspections.