Schools upload learner assessment scores to KNEC through the Competency-Based Assessment (CBA) portal at cba.knec.ac.ke. If you are searching for the “LCBE portal”, the CBA portal is the system KNEC is directing schools to use for 2026 School-Based Assessment (SBA) work. The headteacher logs in, downloads the tools, and captures scores by grade and learning area.
This guide covers who does what, the upload and correction steps, and the deadlines still open as of October 9, 2026.
LCBE or CBA: Which Portal Should You Use?
The Learning Continuity in Basic Education (LCBE) portal was introduced for earlier assessment rounds, when schools captured learner registration and marks online. Guides from that period describe a separate LCBE login and an Excel-based marks upload.
For 2026, KNEC’s circulars and notices consistently point schools to the CBA portal for:
- registering KPSEA, KJSEA and KCSE candidates
- downloading SBA tools and projects
- uploading Grade 3, 4, 5, 7, 8 and Grade 10 scores
No 2026 KNEC notice found during research tells schools to upload SBA scores anywhere else. If an older guide sends you to a different address or an Excel template, check it against the instructions and user manual inside the CBA portal before you act.
Who Does What
KNEC’s 2026 circulars split the work between the school head and subject teachers:
- The headteacher or principal logs in with the school’s credentials. The system then sends a one-time password (OTP) to the phone number registered on the account. The head downloads the assessment tools.
- Subject teachers administer the tasks, mark using the official scoring guides, and enter the scores.
New centres use their centre code as the first username and password, and should change the password immediately after the first login. On first login, heads are also expected to update their name and mobile number, since the OTP goes to that number.
How to Upload Scores on the CBA Portal
These steps follow the process KNEC described for Grade 4 and 5 uploads. Menu wording can change, so the user manual on the portal is the final reference.
- Go to cba.knec.ac.ke and log in with your school credentials, then enter the OTP.
- Select the correct grade.
- Choose “Capture Assessment Outcomes”, then select the learning area.
- Enter each learner’s score under the relevant task.
- Click “Save Outcomes”.
- Repeat for every learner and every learning area.
How to Correct a Wrong Score
- Open “View/Edit Outcomes”.
- Select “Edit” beside the learner.
- Change the score.
- Click “Save”.
Check the saved scores before the deadline, not on it. Once a window closes, corrections may need to go through your Sub-County Director of Education.
Recording Absent Learners
Older LCBE guidance told schools to select “A” for learners absent in Foundation and Grades 1 to 4. For the 2026 KPSEA and KJSEA SBA uploads, reports on KNEC’s extension notice say absent candidates should be marked “AB”. Use whichever code the portal and manual present for your grade. Leaving a learner blank is not the same as marking them absent, and blank entries are what typically create “missing SBA” gaps.
2026 Deadlines: What Is Still Open
| Task | Deadline | Status on 9 Oct 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| KPSEA and KJSEA SBA and project scores | 30 September 2026 (extended) | Closed. No further extension found. |
| Term Three SBA, Grades 3, 4, 5, 7, 8 (tools available from 28 Sept) | 23 October 2026 | Open |
| Grade 10 written SBA (tools available from 5 Oct) | 23 October 2026 | Open |
| Grade 10 projects, practicals and vocational scores | 31 October 2026 | Open |
Reports on Grade 10 timelines are not fully consistent. KNEC’s August circular, reported by several outlets, sets 23 October for the written tests, while other coverage cites 31 October for projects and 15 October for completion of tasks. Confirm against the circular your school received.
If your school missed the 30 September KPSEA or KJSEA window, contact your Sub-County Director of Education promptly. KNEC has said penalties apply to late submissions, and the 2026 KPSEA and KJSEA examinations are due to start at the end of October.
Why Accuracy Matters
KNEC has warned that entering marks that do not reflect actual learner performance, or deviating from the official scoring guides, counts as examination malpractice and can attract sanctions under the KNEC Act. SBA scores also feed into final outcomes, so an upload error can affect a learner’s results.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the LCBE portal still used?
Not according to any 2026 KNEC notice found. Current circulars direct schools to the CBA portal.
What if I cannot log in?
Use the password recovery option on the login page, and check that the school’s registered phone number is correct, since the OTP is sent there. Your Sub-County Director of Education’s office can also assist with credentials.
Can a subject teacher upload scores directly?
KNEC’s circulars describe the head downloading the tools and subject teachers entering scores. How access is arranged inside your school depends on the credentials the head issues.