The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) has released the 2025 Upgrade Programme for the Diploma in Primary Teacher Education (UDPTE) School-Based Assessment (SBA) timetable and instructions, a critical roadmap for teacher trainees and colleges navigating the transition to competency-based education. As Kenya’s education system evolves under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), the UDPTE equips P1 certificate holders with the skills needed for primary and junior secondary classrooms. This article provides a detailed examination of the UDPTE 2025 timetable, outlines key instructions, and offers insights for education stakeholders—principals, trainers, and business leaders in the sector.
With over 300,000 primary school teachers in Kenya (TSC, 2023) and a projected demand for diploma-level educators as Grade 9 rolls out in 2025, the UDPTE is a strategic investment in human capital. Published under KNEC directive KNEC/TD/TA/SBA/UDPTE/TT/25/018, this timetable governs assessments from May to July 2025. Below, we break it down comprehensively, ensuring you have the data and context to plan effectively.
The Context: Why UDPTE 2025 is a Priority
The UDPTE 2025 addresses a pressing need: upgrading P1 teachers to meet CBC requirements for grades 1–9. With the last KCPE cohort exiting in 2023 and Junior Secondary Schools expanding—supported by 16,000 new classrooms (Ministry of Education, 2024)—the education sector is under pressure to deliver qualified staff. The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) reports that 80% of current primary teachers hold P1 certificates, yet the CBC demands diploma-level proficiency in subjects like ICT integration and inclusive education.
General Instructions for UDPTE 2025 School-Based Assessment
KNEC’s instructions set the stage for a structured rollout. Here’s what you need to know:
- Eligibility: Only teacher trainees registered by their Teacher Training Colleges (TTCs) for the UDPTE qualify.
- Access: TTCs retrieve assessment tools from the KNEC CBATE portal (https://cbate.knec.ac.ke) using college-specific credentials, available from May 2, 2025.
- Administration: Practical/project tasks run from May 5 to May 30, 2025; written assessments occur May 26–30 via the CBATE e-assessment system.
- Scoring: Trainers score assessments per the timetable, with marking schemes provided for practicals and projects.
- Submission: Scores for practicals/projects must be uploaded to the CBATE portal by July 30, 2025.
- Resources: Colleges are urged to source materials locally or improvise, minimizing costs.
- Record-Keeping: Principals must maintain detailed records of all trainee outcomes.
These guidelines ensure consistency across Kenya’s 32 public TTCs and numerous private institutions, aligning with KNEC’s goal of standardizing teacher quality.
UDPTE 2025 School-Based Assessment Timetable: Detailed Schedule
The UDPTE SBA timetable 2025 spans May to July, covering 23 subjects in two phases: practical/project-based assessments and written exams. Below is the full breakdown.
Phase 1: Practical and Project-Based Assessments
Tools are downloadable from May 2, 2025, with administration from May 5 to May 30, and scores due by July 30.
- Agriculture – Project
- Paper Code: 9617
- Duration: 3 months (May–July)
- Focus: Agricultural teaching skills
- Art & Craft – Project
- Paper Code: 9625
- Duration: 4 weeks (May 5–30)
- Focus: Creative arts application
- Physical and Health Education – Performance-Based Tasks
- Paper Code: 9615
- Duration: 2 weeks (May 5–19)
- Focus: Physical education delivery
- Home Science – Practical
- Paper Code: 9616
- Duration: 2 weeks (May 5–19)
- Focus: Domestic science skills
- Social Studies – Project
- Paper Code: 9618
- Duration: 2 weeks (May 5–19)
- Focus: Social studies pedagogy
- Educational Resources
- Paper Code: 9622/A
- Duration: 1 week (May 5–12)
- Focus: Resource development
- ICT Integration in Education – Practicals
- Paper Code: 9622/B
- Duration: 2 weeks (May 5–19)
- Focus: Technology in teaching
- Research Skills – Project
- Paper Code: 9622/D
- Duration: 2 weeks (May 5–19)
- Focus: Educational research
- Music – Practical Performance
- Paper Code: 9626
- Duration: 2 weeks (May 5–19)
- Focus: Music instruction
- Science & Technology – Project
- Paper Code: 9627
- Duration: 2 weeks (May 5–19)
- Focus: Science teaching
- Micro Teaching
- Paper Code: 9633/1
- Duration: 2 weeks (May 5–19)
- Focus: Classroom practice
Phase 2: Written Assessments
Delivered via the CBATE e-assessment system from May 26–30, 2025, with fixed start times.
- Monday, May 26, 2025
- Indigenous Languages
- Paper Code: 9628
- Time: 8:00 AM – 9:30 AM
- Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Sociological and Philosophical Foundations of Education
- Paper Code: 9624/A
- Time: 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM
- Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Break: 9:30 AM – 10:30 AM
- Indigenous Languages
- Tuesday, May 27, 2025 3. Christian Religious Education (CRE) OR Islamic Religious Education (IRE)
- Paper Codes: 9619 (CRE) / 9620 (IRE)
- Time: 8:00 AM – 9:30 AM
- Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Curriculum Studies
- Paper Code: 9624/C
- Time: 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM
- Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Break: 9:30 AM – 10:30 AM
- Wednesday, May 28, 2025 5. Child Development and Psychology
- Paper Code: 9623/A
- Time: 8:00 AM – 10:00 AM
- Duration: 2 hours
- Mathematics
- Paper Code: 9614
- Time: 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM
- Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Break: 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
- Thursday, May 29, 2025 7. Inclusive Education
- Paper Code: 9623/B
- Time: 8:00 AM – 10:00 AM
- Duration: 2 hours
- Educational Assessment
- Paper Code: 9622/C
- Time: 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
- Duration: 1 hour
- Break: 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
- Friday, May 30, 2025 9. Historical and Comparative Foundations of Education
- Paper Code: 9624/B
- Time: 8:00 AM – 9:30 AM
- Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Educational Leadership and Management
- Paper Code: 9622/E
- Time: 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM
- Duration: 1 hour
- Break: 9:30 AM – 10:30 AM
Key Instructions for Stakeholders
KNEC’s directives are clear and actionable:
- For Principals:
- Ensure all trainers and trainees are briefed by April 2025.
- Maintain accurate records for audits—non-compliance risks accreditation issues.
- Source materials locally to keep costs below KES 5,000 per trainee (estimated, KNEC).
- For Trainers:
- Download tools on May 2, 2025, and prepare trainees for practicals.
- Score assessments using provided guides, ensuring uploads by July 30.
- For TTCs:
- Test CBATE portal access before May—70% of Kenya’s TTCs faced login issues in 2023 (KNEC report).
- Improvise resources to avoid delays; rural colleges may need extra planning.
These steps align with Kenya’s 92% internet penetration (CAK, 2023), leveraging digital tools for efficiency.
Insights for Business Professionals
The UDPTE 2025 timetable isn’t just an academic calendar—it’s a business opportunity:
- Training Firms: With 32 public TTCs and growing private ones, demand for assessment tools and training workshops could hit KES 500 million (projected, based on 2023 trends).
- EdTech: ICT integration assessments signal a market for e-learning platforms—Kenya’s EdTech sector grew 15% in 2023 (CBK).
- Supply Chains: Local sourcing of materials opens doors for SMEs in agriculture, arts, and tech supplies.
Data backs this up: education spending rose 8% to KES 600 billion in 2023 (KNBS), with teacher training a key driver.
Challenges and Solutions
- Challenge: Tight timelines—e.g., Agriculture’s 3-month project vs. 1-week Educational Resources.
- Solution: Prioritize scheduling in April 2025; stagger tasks across terms.
- Challenge: Digital access—rural TTCs lag with 60% connectivity (CAK, 2023).
- Solution: Partner with telcos like Safaricom for offline CBATE options.
- Challenge: Resource scarcity—urban-rural gaps persist (KNBS, 2023).
- Solution: Leverage county education budgets; Kisumu TTCs improvised 80% of materials in 2023 (KNEC).
