On this page
TL;DR:
- Your job is to give time, a place and good questions. KICD says parents guide learners and should not do their assignments.
- You do not need to know the subject. "Close the book and tell me" works for any topic.
- Short sessions spread over days, with the child recalling from memory, beat long re-reading. This is among the best-supported findings on how people learn.
- Be careful with projects. Help with planning and materials, and leave the thinking and the making to your child. In Grade 10, KNEC treats uploading scores that are not based on the learner's work as malpractice.
- Keep rest in the plan. If a child is stuck on the same thing for weeks, go to the teacher.
Who this guide is for
This guide is for Kenyan parents and guardians of children in primary, junior or senior school under the new curriculum. You may work long hours. You may never have seen these subjects. You may worry that you do not know enough to help. This guide assumes all of that.
You will see two names, CBC and CBE. KICD's parent guidelines say Competency Based Curriculum. Recent reports on senior school say Competency-Based Education. Parents use the two for the same system.
Everything here was checked on 10 November 2026. If your child is preparing for KCSE, our realistic KCSE revision timetable is a better fit.
What does the official guidance expect from parents?
Guide, support and stay in touch with the teacher. KICD's guidance is clear on this, and it has not asked parents to become teachers.
| Source | What it says |
|---|---|
| KICD Guidelines on Parental Empowerment and Engagement (first published 2019) | Learning at home should reinforce what is learnt in school. Parents should support homework where appropriate, and read and respond to teachers' comments |
| KICD brochure on the role of parents | Help with your child's learning under the teacher's guidance, and engage with the teacher |
| KICD chief executive, September 2021 | "CBC does not make parents do homework." Parents are asked to guide learners |
The last line came with a reason. The same official said that if a parent does a child's assignment, the child does not build the skills the work was set to develop.
These documents are several years old, and we did not find a newer national guide written for parents about revision. The advice below is our own, drawn from this guidance and from research on how people learn.
Which of the assessments actually count?
Knowing what counts helps you to stay calm. Much of the work in CBC happens across the year, so the assessments are spread out too.
| Stage | What happens | What this means at home |
|---|---|---|
| Grade 6 | KPSEA. 1,380,463 Grade 6 candidates in 2026 | Its score later feeds into the final KJSEA score |
| Grades 7 and 8 | School-based assessment | Counted for 20% of the final KJSEA score in 2025, the same as KPSEA |
| Grade 9 | KJSEA | Counted for 60% of that score in 2025 |
| Grades 10 and 11 | School-based projects, practicals and written tests | Each reported at 15% of the final result |
| Grade 12 | National assessment | Reported at 70% of the final result |
For 2027, the Ministry's calendar puts KPSEA and KJSEA from 1 to 5 November. Term 1 opens on 4 January 2027.
KNEC's chief executive has urged parents, teachers and learners to make sure every learner sits their school-based assessments and that scores are uploaded. A simple question each term helps: "Which assessments did you do, and did you miss any?"
How does revision actually work?
Revision works when your child has to pull information out of their own memory, a little at a time, over several days. Research on learning points this way.
- Testing yourself. John Dunlosky, a psychologist who reviewed the research on study methods, rates practice testing among the most effective strategies. Recalling from memory works better than recognising the right answer.
- Spreading it out. He describes the evidence for spacing study over time as very strong, and contrasts it with cramming.
- Re-reading and highlighting are weaker. Dunlosky found that re-reading gives uneven results, and that highlighting has not reliably helped.
A 2022 review in Nature Reviews Psychology reached similar conclusions on spacing and recall. It also notes that learners underuse these methods, which it says could stem from false beliefs about learning. Reading the notes again can feel productive, and a child who struggles to recall may feel as if it isn't working. Tell your child that a little struggle is normal.
Please keep one limit in mind. This research mostly comes from outside Kenya. We did not find a Kenyan study testing these methods in CBC classrooms. The principles are about human memory, so we think they carry over, but that is our judgement.
What does research say about parents and homework?
Parents help most by setting the conditions and showing that they care. The evidence for sitting over a child and correcting every line is weaker and more mixed.
- A research synthesis by Patall, Cooper and Robinson (2008) found that training parents to help with homework was linked to higher homework completion and fewer homework problems. A second analysis in the same paper linked parent involvement to higher achievement in primary and high school, and to lower achievement in middle school. Setting rules around homework showed a stronger link than other forms of involvement.
- Wilder's 2014 review of nine meta-analyses, as summarised by Evidence for Learning, found parental expectations had the strongest relationship with achievement.
In plain terms: a calm routine and a clear message that school matters may do more than teaching the content yourself. As with the memory research, these studies are mostly from other countries.
Five techniques any parent can use
None of these needs you to know the subject. Each takes between 5 and 20 minutes.
1. "Close the book and tell me"
Your child studies a page for a few minutes. Then the book closes, and they tell you what they remember. You can follow along in the book.
Say: "What was that page about? What else? Show me where you are not sure."
2. The blank page
Your child writes everything they remember about a topic on a blank sheet, with no notes. Then they open the book and add what is missing in a different colour. The second colour shows them what to study next.
3. Teach me
Ask your child to explain a topic as if you were a younger cousin. Say "I don't understand that bit" whenever you truly don't. When a child cannot explain something simply, they have found a gap. This one works well if you know less about the topic than your child does.
4. Quiz cards
Together, turn exercise-book notes into small cards, with a question on one side and the answer on the other. Old cereal boxes work. Sort them into three piles: know it, nearly, and don't know.
Spacing is simple with cards. The "don't know" pile comes out tomorrow, "nearly" in three days, and "know it" next week. These intervals are our suggestion; the research does not set one correct schedule.
5. Mix it up
Once a topic is fairly secure, mix questions from two or three topics in one session. Your child then has to decide which method to use, the same as in a real assessment.
A routine that fits a busy home
Keep it short and at the same time each day. Here is a simple shape to adapt, and the numbers are our suggestions.
| Level | Session length | Sessions a week | What it looks like |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grades 1 to 3 | 10 to 15 minutes | 4 or 5 | Reading aloud, counting games, telling you about the day's lesson |
| Grades 4 to 6 | 20 to 30 minutes | 4 or 5 | One topic, one quiz, some reading |
| Grades 7 to 9 | 30 to 45 minutes | 5 | Two short blocks with a break, one weak subject per week |
| Grades 10 to 12 | 45 to 60 minutes | 5 or 6 | Timed recall, past work, planning for projects |
A sample week for a Grade 7 learner
| Day | Focus |
|---|---|
| Monday | "Close the book" on today's Mathematics |
| Tuesday | Blank page on one Integrated Science topic |
| Wednesday | Quiz cards, plus the "don't know" pile |
| Thursday | Teach me: a topic from Social Studies |
| Friday | Reading for pleasure, in English or Kiswahili |
| Saturday | Mixed quiz, 20 minutes, then free |
| Sunday | Rest, and look over the coming week together |
If you work late or travel. Ask a phone question at a set time: "Tell me one thing you learned today in Science." An older sibling can run the quiz. A short voice note from your child, explaining a topic, also counts.
Sleep comes first. The CDC recommends 9 to 12 hours a day for children aged 6 to 12, and 8 to 10 hours for teenagers aged 13 to 17. Those are American guidelines, and they are a useful yardstick. If revision is pushing bedtime later, cut the revision.
What is your job, and what is your child's?
Keep this table somewhere you can both see it.
| Task | Parent does | Child does |
|---|---|---|
| Reading the assignment | Reads it with them if it is unclear | Says in their own words what is being asked |
| Materials | Finds affordable materials; uses what is at home | Decides what they need and why |
| Planning | Asks: "What's first? By when?" | Writes the plan |
| The thinking | Asks questions | Works out the answer |
| The writing or making | Keeps younger siblings away, makes space | Writes, draws, builds, measures |
| Safety | Supervises sharp tools, heat, chemicals | Follows safe steps |
| Checking | Asks: "How do you know that's right?" | Finds and corrects mistakes |
| Unclear instructions | Writes to the teacher | Tries first, and says what confused them |
Projects deserve special care. KNEC's 2026 guidance for Grade 10 says schools must keep evidence such as photos, videos and recordings. Over-awarding marks, or uploading made-up scores not based on the learner's work, is treated as malpractice. KNEC has written this for teachers and schools. For a parent, the sensible conclusion is that a project a parent has done is a risk to the child as well as a lost chance to learn.
If an assignment costs too much. A 2021 report said parents had complained about the cost of learning materials, especially in some private schools. If a task is beyond your budget, write a polite note to the teacher and ask for a cheaper alternative. Asking is reasonable, and a teacher usually needs to know.
What to say, and what to avoid
These are our suggestions, to help a child keep trying.
| Instead of this | Try this |
|---|---|
| "Let me just do it." | "Show me the part where you got stuck." |
| "That's wrong." | "How did you get that?" |
| "Why can't you be like your cousin?" | "What went better this week than last week?" |
| "What did you get?" | "What did you learn from this one?" |
| "You're so clever." | "You kept going on that hard one." |
| "Finish before you eat." | "Twenty minutes, then we eat." |
What goes wrong, and how to avoid it
| Problem | What it looks like | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| The parent takes over | The project looks perfect and the child can't explain it | Use the table above. Ask them to explain it to you |
| Too long, too late | Tears at 10 pm | Shorter sessions, earlier in the day |
| Copying notes as revision | Neat pages, little remembered | Close the book, and recall |
| Only the favourite subject | Hours on a strength, none on the weakness | One weak topic first, then the favourite |
| Buying every revision book | A heap of unused books | Start with the exercise book and the school's textbook |
| Comparing siblings | One child gives up | Compare a child with their own last term |
| Using AI for answers | Perfect sentences the child can't explain | Use AI as a quizmaster only |
| Cramming before tests | Good mark, forgotten in a week | Little and often |
Where to find what your child should be learning
You can see what is expected in each grade. KICD lists curriculum designs by grade on its website. They are written for teachers, so don't worry if parts seem dense. The learning outcomes are the useful bit: they tell you what a child should be able to do.
The Kenya Education Cloud offers digital content from pre-primary to Form 4, along with parental resources. Some content sits behind a login, and we could not confirm that all of it is free.
Your child's own exercise book remains the best guide to what the class has covered.
How can AI help without doing the work?
Used well, a free AI tool can be a patient quizmaster. Used badly, it writes the assignment. Please keep your child's name, school and photos out of it. Our guide on AI for parents covers privacy and age rules, and our post on AI rules for schools and universities covers what is acceptable.
Here we use four Cs that we teach at FuKazee: Clarity, Context, Constraints and Customisation.
For a quiz
Act as a kind tutor for a Grade [number] learner in Kenya. Ask me one question at a time on [topic]. Wait for my answer. If I am wrong, give me a hint and do not give the answer straight away. After 10 questions, tell me which parts I should review. Do not write anything for my assignments.
For a parent who wants to understand a topic
Explain [topic] to a parent who never studied it. Use everyday Kenyan examples and under 150 words. Then give me five questions I can ask my child to check that they understand it, with short answers for me. If you are not sure about something in Kenya's curriculum, say so.
For a project plan
My child is doing a school project about [topic]. Do not suggest the final answer or write any part of it. Give me eight questions to help my child plan it, including what materials are affordable and what can go wrong.
AI tools can get Kenyan curriculum details wrong, so check against the textbook or ask the teacher.
When should you ask for help?
Go to the teacher first, and early. KICD's guidelines expect parents to read and respond to teachers' comments and to monitor children's progress with their age in mind. The KICD brochure also asks parents to watch for signs of disability, so that help can come early.
Ask the teacher when:
- Your child has been stuck on the same skill for more than two or three weeks.
- Reading or number work seems far behind what classmates can do.
- A subject has no teacher, or notes stop appearing in the exercise book.
- A task's instructions are unclear, or its cost is out of reach.
Take these seriously and act the same day: refusing to go to school, a sudden change in eating or sleeping, talk of being bullied, or a child who seems frightened or hopeless. Speak to the class teacher or guidance and counselling teacher, and to a health worker if you are worried.
Revision will not solve every problem. A tired, frightened or hungry child cannot learn well, and that should come first.
Questions people ask
Am I allowed to help with CBC homework?
Yes. KICD's guidelines expect parents to support homework as appropriate. What KICD has told parents to avoid is doing the assignment for the child.
What if I never went far in school, or don't know the subject?
You can still help. "Close the book and tell me" and "Teach me" don't need you to know the content. Your role is time, place, questions and encouragement. KICD describes parents as guides.
How long should my child revise at home?
There is no official number that we could find. Our suggestion is 10 to 15 minutes in lower primary, 30 to 45 in junior school, and 45 to 60 in senior school, most days. Short and regular is the aim.
Should my child revise during the holidays?
A little, yes, after a real rest. The December break is long: Term 1 opens on 4 January 2027. A few short sessions a week can stop skills from slipping, and most of the holiday should still be a holiday.
My child says they have no homework. What should we do?
Use the time for reading, a short recall of the day's lesson, or quiz cards on an older topic. Keeping the habit going matters more than the amount.
Can my child use AI for revision?
Yes, if it asks questions and explains things rather than writing the answer. Check age rules for the tool, keep personal details out, and make sure school rules on projects are followed.
Do I need to buy revision books?
Start with what you already have: exercise books, the school's textbooks and past class work. Buy only when a teacher points you to a specific gap.
Does revision matter if CBC is about skills?
Yes. Assessments still count, and your child still needs to remember facts and methods to use a skill. Grades 7 and 8 school work counted for 20% of last cycle's final KJSEA score, and the Grade 9 assessment for 60%.
Sources
All last checked 10 November 2026.
Official
- KICD and Ministry of Education, Guidelines on Parental Empowerment and Engagement (first published 2019), last checked 10 November 2026
- KICD, The Role of Parents in Competency Based Curriculum (brochure), last checked 10 November 2026
- KICD, Curriculum designs, last checked 10 November 2026
- Kenya Education Cloud, last checked 10 November 2026
- KNEC, remarks by the Chief Executive at the release of the 2025 KCSE results, 9 January 2026, last checked 10 November 2026
- CDC, About Sleep, last checked 10 November 2026
Research
- Dunlosky, J. (2013), "Strengthening the Student Toolbox", American Educator, last checked 10 November 2026
- Carpenter, Pan and Butler (2022), "The science of effective learning with spacing and retrieval practice", Nature Reviews Psychology, last checked 10 November 2026
- Patall, Cooper and Robinson (2008), "Parent involvement in homework: A research synthesis", Review of Educational Research, last checked 10 November 2026
- Evidence for Learning, Parental engagement, summarising Wilder (2014), last checked 10 November 2026
News and education press
- Kenyans.co.ke, "Education Ministry issues directive on parents' role in CBC", 19 September 2021, last checked 10 November 2026
- Nation report, "KICD: Stop doing your child's homework", 19 September 2021 (via Mwananchi), last checked 10 November 2026
- Kenyans.co.ke, KNEC guidelines on Grade 10 school-based assessment, last checked 10 November 2026
- Kenyans.co.ke, 2027 school calendar, 4 November 2026, last checked 10 November 2026
- FreeExams, KNEC roadmap for senior school assessments, 10 May 2026, last checked 10 November 2026
- The Star, how KJSEA candidates were graded, 11 December 2025, last checked 10 November 2026
- The Star, KJSEA and KCSE practicals, 30 October 2026, last checked 10 November 2026
- Radio Generation Kenya, KUCCPS pathway model from 2029, last checked 10 November 2026
Where FuKazee fits in
FuKazee trains people in tech, the future of work and the future of careers, and we have trained more than 3,000 people. We also run holiday tuition in Westlands, Nairobi.
You can do most of what is in this guide at home, without paying anyone. If your child is in Grade 10 and has a specific gap you can name, our Grade 10 holiday programme runs until about 11 December 2026, with experienced teachers. We will not do project work for any learner, and we will not promise a result. Parents of Grade 10 learners can also read our Grade 10 parents' guide.
If you are unsure what your child needs, write to us and tell us the subject and the difficulty.
To ask a question, email us at lead@fukazee.com.
Want guided support instead?
Not sure which programme fits? Tell us who you are and we will point you to the right path: corporate AI training, the ScholarShift Accelerator for postgraduates, or KCSE study plans and tuition.
Rodney has run FuKazee's training since 2022 and still teaches inside every programme line: corporate sessions, the postgraduate cohort and the KCSE examiner webinars. First Class Honours in Journalism and Mass Communication, University of Nairobi.
