KNEC Sets 30 July Deadline: Verify Your Child's SBA Scores Before It Is Too Late

Time-sensitive for parents and teachers of Grade 6 and Grade 9 learners. KNEC has set Thursday 30 July 2026 as the deadline for schools to verify that School Based Assessment (SBA) scores for KPSEA and KJSEA candidates are correctly uploaded on the CBA portal. Here is what it means and what to do now.

With Term 2 ending on 31 July, one deadline matters more than most: schools have until 30 July to confirm that every SBA score for this year's KPSEA (Grade 6) and KJSEA (Grade 9) candidates is captured correctly on the KNEC Competency-Based Assessment (CBA) portal. These scores are not a formality. They carry real weight in a learner's final result, and a missing or wrong entry now is very hard to fix after the window closes.

Why the SBA scores matter so much

Under the CBE system, the national assessment sat in October is only part of a learner's result. The School Based Assessment recorded by teachers across the years counts too. For a Grade 9 learner's transition score, the weighting is clear and significant.

In other words, 40% of a Grade 9 learner's transition score is already banked in the KPSEA and SBA records before they sit a single KJSEA paper. That is exactly why verifying those scores now, while there is still time to correct an error, is worth taking seriously.

Where this sits in the bigger timeline

This deadline is the first fixed date in a sequence that runs to the end of the year, and verifying the SBA scores now is what makes the rest of it count.

• By 30 July: schools verify all KPSEA and KJSEA SBA scores on the CBA portal.
• 31 July: Term 2 ends and the August holiday begins, the decisive revision block before the exams.
• Term 3: final preparation, school-level mock papers, and steady revision.
• Friday 23 October: the national assessment rehearsal in schools.
• Monday 26 October: KPSEA and KJSEA begin, with KJSEA running through to 20 November.

Miss that first step and even a strong performance in October is undermined by an incomplete record; get it right, and every mark your child earns actually counts. For the full assessment calendar and a revision plan, see our confirmed 2026 dates and 90-day guide.

What schools should do before 30 July

• Log into the CBA portal now, not on the deadline day when the system is busiest.
• Check every candidate has SBA scores captured for the required learning areas, with none missing.
• Fix discrepancies immediately and keep a record of what was corrected.
• Confirm the upload status reads as complete before you log out.

Our step-by-step KNEC CBA portal guide for teachers walks through exactly where to look.

What parents can do

Parents cannot upload scores, but you can help by asking your child's school one simple question this week: have our child's SBA scores been verified on the CBA portal? A polite check-in reminds the school and protects your child from a clerical slip. Then turn your attention to the part you can control: preparation for 26 October. With Term 2 ending, the August holiday is the decisive revision block, see our confirmed 2026 dates and 90-day plan.

Frequently asked questions

What is the deadline?

30 July 2026 for schools to verify that KPSEA and KJSEA SBA scores are correctly uploaded on the KNEC CBA portal.

Does SBA really count towards the final result?

Yes. For a Grade 9 learner's transition score, KPSEA contributes 20%, SBA from Grades 7 and 8 contributes 20%, and the KJSEA national assessment contributes 60%. About 40% is set before exam day.

My child is in Grade 6. Does this affect us?

Yes. KPSEA candidates also have SBA scores that must be verified on the CBA portal by the same deadline, so the same check-in with the school applies.

What if a score is wrong or missing?

The school must correct it on the portal before 30 July. After the window closes, corrections are far harder, which is why KNEC is urging schools to act early rather than waiting for the last day when the portal is busiest.

How do I access the CBA portal?

The CBA portal is for schools, not individual parents. Heads of institutions log in with their school credentials to view and verify each candidate's SBA record. If you are a teacher, our step-by-step CBA portal guide walks through exactly where the SBA status is shown and how to confirm it is complete.

Conclusion

The 30 July deadline is a quiet but important one. With 40% of a Grade 9 learner's transition score already resting on KPSEA and SBA records, a five-minute check on the CBA portal now can protect a result the whole year has built towards. Schools should verify early; parents should ask the question and then focus on the run to 26 October. To revise the way the national assessment is marked, our KJSEA and KPSEA revision courses cover every learning area.

Cover photo: a Kenyan classroom. Source: Wikimedia Commons. Deadline and weightings from KNEC, as reported by The Star and Kenyans.co.ke (July 2026); confirm portal details with your school.