Major learning gaps have been noted among Grade Four learners, with poor scores recorded in reading, writing, listening and speaking skills.
Kenya National Examination Council (Knec) report shows that the learners were heavily affected by prolonged closure of schools.
Overall, Grade Four learners, who are the pioneers of the new 2–6–3–3–3 education system under Competency Based Curriculum, performed below expectation in subject specific content and skill areas.
Clear gaps were noted in reading, writing and speaking during the school-based week-long assessment that took place late last year.
“The significant increase in the percentage of learners performing below expectation is indicative of learning loss which can be attributed to lack of face-to-face learning, and inadequate access to remote learning,” reads the report.
READ MORE
Government begins distribution of Grade Nine textbooks to schools
Ruto says 11,000 Grade Nine classrooms to be ready by December
“In order to address learning gaps, the study recommends focused interventions in key skill or content areas such as reading comprehension, as well as capacity building of teachers in best approaches to the implementation of the CBC so as improve learning outcomes in skills such as reading comprehension and writing,” the report says.
All candidates
A total of 1.3 million Grade Four learners were assessed across 37,243 institutions under the Sh1.5 billion Global Partnership for Education (GPE) funding supervised by the World Bank.
The learners were assessed on English Language, Kiswahili Language, Mathematics, Environmental Activities and Science and Technology.
Kenyan Sign Language (KSL), Activities of Daily Living and Communication Skills, Pre-Numeracy Orientation and Sensory Motor Activities were also assessed. The tests were expected to gauge learner’s entry behaviour after the long period of school closure to inform of possible learning gaps.
Finer details of the Knec report reveals that in English Language, many learners did not attain minimum proficiency levels in all the language skills and content areas.
It also says in all the assessed skills, majority of learners performed below expectation.
Overall results also unearthed gender disparities where more girls met learning expectations in the subject-specific skills and content areas compared to boys.
In English Language, for example, many girls than boys met expectations in all the skills and content areas assessed.
