According to a recent proposal, the government intends to adopt and deploy artificial intelligence (AI) to mark thousands of students’ examinations while making fundamental changes to national test management.
The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) will be replaced by the Kenya National Education Assessments Council.
The KNEAC will include the recently announced Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) as well as other education-related improvements implemented by the government.
“The former Council shall continue in office for a period of not more than two months from the effective date as appointments are made to the Council, and the former Council shall for all intents and purposes be deemed the Council appointed under this Act,” reads part of the proposed legislation.
The draft suggestions under the Kenya National Education Assessments Council Act indicate that the government will use a variety of marking techniques.
This includes pen-and-paper marking, e-marking, electronic mark capture, automated marking (Automark), optical mark recognition (OMR), AI-based marking, and any other method considered appropriate.
“The Council shall develop guidelines and tools for marking and scoring formative and summative assessments, including oral, aural, practical, projects, practicum, or any other mode of assessments,” reads part of the provisions supporting the changes.
KNEAC Composition
KNEAC will be made up of various prominent individuals, with the president nominating the chairperson under Section 24.
Other members will include the education ministry’s chief secretaries, the National Treasury, the CEO of the Commission for University Education, and the Director of the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development.
In addition, the council will include the Secretary of the Teachers Service Commission and Cabinet Secretary appointees.These appointees will represent a variety of organizations, including people with disabilities, post-secondary teacher education institutions, and the private sector participating in education management.
The chief executive officer will also serve on the council.
Examiners
KNEAC plans to appoint various types of examiners and assessors, including chief examiners, senior examiners, deputy chief examiners, team leaders, and general examiners.
The council will additionally appoint an Assistant Chief Examiner or Assessor to serve as a Deputy Chief Examiner in cases where a paper is marked in two assessment centres.
These nominations will follow the regulatory framework outlined in the Kenya National Education Assessments Council Act.
In addition, the council will be in charge of providing clear standards for marking and scoring all examinations and assessments, as well as specifying the roles and responsibilities of each type of examiner or assessor.
This requires developing and reviewing these guidelines on a regular basis, as well as continuously evaluating the tasks of examiners and assessors to ensure that the examination process runs smoothly and accurately.
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