Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) has opened applications for an online item-writing course targeting teachers in Senior School and Vocational Level as the country continues to build its competency-based assessment system.
The training will take place from October 12 to 30, 2026, and is intended to equip teachers with skills needed to develop assessment questions and tasks that match curriculum requirements and measure the abilities learners are expected to gain.
KNEC said teachers who successfully complete the training will receive certification and could later be considered for assessment-related assignments by the council whenever the need arises.
The opportunity comes as the education system continues its shift from the former 8-4-4 structure to the 2-6-3-3-3 model, with greater attention being placed on learners' ability to apply knowledge and skills rather than relying mainly on recall.
The Competency-Based Education system was introduced in 2017, while the Competency-Based Assessment Framework was developed in 2021.
Under the new approach, learner progress and achievement are measured through continuous assessment, including both formative and summative assessments. KNEC describes Competency-Based Assessment as a learner-centred process that focuses on what learners can demonstrate through their knowledge, skills and competencies.
The training will focus on item writing, which involves preparing individual questions or tasks used to assess learners.
Such items must be connected to the curriculum and designed to measure the intended learning outcomes. They also have to be clear enough for learners to show what they understand and what they can do.
KNEC's assessment training framework covers several areas involved in producing reliable assessment tools, including test construction, item writing, moderation, validation and quality assurance.
The council has also been putting in place an item bank containing standardised assessment tools for Competency-Based Assessment. Earlier planning documents identified the need for an item-writing portal and an item-bank system to support the creation, storage and management of assessment items.
The system is intended to help ensure that questions used in assessments are valid, reliable and able to measure the competencies set out in the curriculum.
The latest training is open specifically to teachers currently teaching at Senior School or Vocational Level. Applicants are expected to be subject specialists or experts in the areas in which they want to undertake the training.
They must have the required academic and professional qualifications, understand the curriculum designs in their areas of specialisation and have at least one year of teaching experience.
Applicants must also be registered with the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), have an irreproachable professional record and receive a formal recommendation from the head of their institution.
“The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC), mandated to set and maintain national examination and assessment standards at school, post-school and teacher education levels, is committed to strengthening teachers' and teacher educators' capacity in classroom and national assessment. To uphold these standards and support effective evaluation of learner competencies, KNEC invites qualified teachers teaching at Senior School and Vocational Level to apply for an online Training in Item Writing,” the council said.
The latest call is part of KNEC's wider expansion of assessment training and support systems as the competency-based education model continues to take shape.
Its online assessment platform offers training and certification for educators, assessors, item writers and examination professionals, with the Item Writing Course 2026 listed among the available programmes.
The move also comes as KNEC expands assessment programmes across different levels of education. Its 2026 guidelines cover assessments for Grade 10 and Vocational Level, while separate guidelines have been issued to guide the implementation of competency-based assessments in Senior School.
Teachers interested in the training have until September 30, 2026, to submit their applications online.
“Applications should be submitted online through the link: https://examinersapp.knec.ac.ke so as to reach KNEC on or before September 30, 2026. Further details on the application process are available on the KNEC website, www.knec.ac.ke. Teachers who have already been trained by KNEC in item writing are advised not to apply. Only shortlisted applicants will be notified,” the council said.
KNEC said the training is aimed at increasing the number of qualified teachers who can take part in developing assessment materials as Kenya continues with the rollout of competency-based education and assessment.