KEYA, KFLEA and Grades 3–5–7–8 SBA: Tools Open 28 September — Upload Scores by 23 October
KNEC Term 3 School-Based Assessment tools for Grade 3 KEYA, KFLEA/SNE Foundation Level, and Grades 4, 5, 7 and 8 become accessible on the CBA portal from 28 September 2026. Heads and teachers must download, administer, score and upload by 23 October. Playbook distinct from Grade 10 SBA and from the missing-score reopen.
KNEC · SBA · KEYA · KFLEA · CBA Portal
From Monday, 28 September 2026, schools can download Term 3 School-Based Assessment tools for Grade 3 KEYA, KFLEA/SNE Foundation Level performance tasks, and written tests for Grades 4, 5, 7 and 8 on the KNEC Competency-Based Assessment portal. Scores must be uploaded by Friday, 23 October 2026. Heads of institution should test login credentials this weekend and assign teachers before the tools drop.
If you lead a primary or junior school, treat the next 48 hours as a credentials and staffing check — not a wait-and-see. The Kenya National Examinations Council has scheduled Term 3 School-Based Assessment (SBA) materials for Grade 3 (Kenya Early Years Assessment / KEYA), SNE Foundation Level (Kenya Foundation Level Education Assessment / KFLEA performance tasks), and written tools for Grades 4, 5, 7 and 8 to become available on the CBA portal from 28 September 2026. After administration and marking against official scoring guides, schools must upload learners’ scores by 23 October 2026. Grade 6 and Grade 9 are outside this Term 3 SBA cycle.
What this means. This is the Grades 3–5–7–8 / KEYA / KFLEA lane. It is not the Grade 10 Senior School SBA file, not the missing KPSEA/KJSEA SBA reopen that closes 30 September, and not the October national assessment calendar for KPSEA and KJSEA papers.
Which grades and subjects are in this cycle
- Grade 3 — KEYA written tests — Mathematics; English Activities.
- SNE Foundation Level — KFLEA performance tasks — Activities of Daily Living; Communication, Social and Pre-Literacy Skills.
- Grades 4 and 5 — written tests — Mathematics; English; Kiswahili; Kenyan Sign Language; Agriculture; Science and Technology; Social Studies; Religious Education (CRE/IRE/HRE); Creative Arts.
- Grades 7 and 8 — written tests — Mathematics; English; Kiswahili; Kenyan Sign Language; Social Studies; CRE/IRE/HRE; Integrated Science; Agriculture; Creative Arts and Sports; Pre-Technical Studies.
Tools that contain colour images should be printed in colour or loaded on school devices so learners can use visual cues correctly. Keep administration scripts, scored scripts, performance-task evidence and score sheets in a labelled school file — KNEC expects schools to retain verification evidence.
Portal access before Monday
Heads log into the Competency-Based Assessment portal at cba.knec.ac.ke using the school’s assessment centre credentials. Confirm the account works before 28 September. If the password fails, use the portal’s Forgot Password function immediately — do not wait until the first download morning. Once tools appear, download only the suites for grades present in your school, store files in a controlled folder, and brief the teachers who will administer and mark each learning area.
What this is not. It is not a reopen of missing KPSEA or KJSEA SBA scores (that separate window closes 30 September). It is not Grade 10 Senior School registration or SBA capture. It is not the national paper timetable for KPSEA/KJSEA rehearsals in late October.
Administration, scoring and upload — school timeline
- 26–27 September — Test CBA login; list teachers per grade and learning area; confirm printers, colour capacity or device viewing; prepare secure storage for tools and scripts.
- From 28 September — Download tools; print or load digitally; administer within the school’s Term 3 plan; mark using official scoring guides only.
- Rolling upload — Enter scores as each grade suite is finished. Do not batch everything for 23 October.
- By 23 October — Confirm every required learner and learning area is captured; keep a printed upload acknowledgement with the school records.
Headteacher and teacher checklist
- Verify CBA portal login this weekend; reset passwords now if needed.
- Assign one teacher owner per learning area for Grades 3, 4, 5, 7 and 8 present in the school.
- Plan colour printing or device viewing for image-dependent tools.
- Download only after 28 September; control distribution inside the school.
- Score with KNEC guides; upload in batches as suites finish.
- Retain scripts, task evidence and score sheets for verification.
- Keep this file separate from Grade 10 SBA and from the missing-score reopen closing 30 September.
- Refuse any broker offering “pre-downloaded papers” or paid score upload.
Next step. Today or tomorrow: prove the CBA login works, publish an internal timetable for Grades 3–5–7–8 / KEYA / KFLEA, and tell teachers when tools will be released inside the school after 28 September. Target first uploads well before mid-October.
Bottom line
Term 3 SBA tools for KEYA, KFLEA and Grades 4, 5, 7 and 8 open on the CBA portal on 28 September 2026. Score upload closes 23 October 2026. Schools that fix credentials now, assign teachers early and upload in rolling batches will clear this cycle without colliding with October national assessment duties.
