USE OF COMPETENCY-BASED ASSESSMENT IN PRE-PRIMARY SCHOOLS: A STUDY OF TEACHER PRACTICES IN MAKUENI COUNTY, KENYA

Competency-Based Assessment (CBA) is one of the key elements of Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) in Kenya, and it is based on the idea that the learners should be evaluated as able to use knowledge and skills in real-life situations instead of remembering information they learned by heart. As put across by the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD), CBA is defined as the ability to use a collection of related knowledge, skills and abilities to properly complete some important tasks in a given environment. Basic Education Curriculum Framework (BECF, 2019) makes CBA one of the central changes to implement formative assessment practices in ways that would support the adoption of diagnostic methods to advance learning and increase outcomes. CBA is a key factor in pre-primary education, which helps to develop competencies that are important in lifelong learning. However, despite national policies, empirical data from different counties show implementation challenges. This research explored the extent to which pre-primary school teachers utilising competency-based assessment methods in their classrooms in Kibwezi West Sub-County, Makueni County. The research design used was descriptive survey research with a mixed methodology where 202 primary schools, 384 pre-primary teachers and 202 head teachers were to be targeted. Multiple stages of sampling were used to select a sample for the study, and data were gathered through the use of questionnaires, interview schedules, and observation checklists. Analysis of quantitative data was conducted using descriptive statistics of frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations, and analysis of qualitative data was conducted thematically. The results indicated that teachers' use of CBA was average due to many challenges. The study recommended that, to enhance the use of CBA, teachers should be trained regularly, resource availability should be improved, and county governments and school administrators should provide more support for the implementation of CBA in pre-primary schools.

 

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