Dr. Ruth Mathenge
Dr Ruth Mathenge is a recent graduate in Science education from North Carolina
State University, with a specialization in the intersection of technology and science
learning. She investigates how immersive technologies—particularly virtual reality—can
enhance student understanding of abstract scientific concepts, such as atomic structure
and scale. Her research bridges disciplinary boundaries across science education,
design, and systems engineering, with recent presentations at AACTE, AERA, and
NARST. Dr. Mathenge champions student-centered, inquiry-driven approaches that
leverage emerging technologies to make learning more engaging, equitable, and
conceptually meaningful.
Dr. David Njengere, MBS, is a distinguished educationist who has contributed immensely to the ongoing education reforms in Kenya and across Africa. He is the Chief Executive Officer of the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) with effect from 2021. As CEO, he has overseen great milestones in transforming the conduct of examinations and assessments, drawing the attention of other examination boards across Africa that visit Kenya from time to time to benchmark with KNEC.
Key among these milestones is the introduction and full transition to e-assessment in teacher education and green assessments. Through this, KNEC has not only saved on the costs of administering pen and paper assessments but also contributes to the fight against climate change and promotes the digital economy, which are key pillars of the government’s Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA). The CEO has also leveraged technology to streamline service delivery to KNEC clients through the establishment of the online Query Management Information System (QMIS) for handling examination and assessment-related queries, and online registration of candidates for all assessments and examinations.
To promote integrity and enhance credibility in national examinations and assessments, Dr. Njengere has introduced landmark innovations in the administration of Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA), Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA) and the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination such as personalization of candidates’ question papers and answer scripts.
When he rejoined KNEC in 2021 as CEO, part of Dr. Njengere’s vision was to centralize all KNEC operations under one roof. He achieved this in 2022 by moving all KNEC offices and assets to the Council’s current headquarters in South C, Nairobi, a building that had been under construction for nearly 40 years. This, in effect, saved KNEC millions of shillings in rental expenditure and improved service delivery to the public.
Dr. Njengere has spearheaded the establishment of an educational assessment resource centre at the KNEC headquarters with the aim of supporting capacity building, research, policy dialogue, and innovation in education and educational assessment. It is through the resource centre that KNEC developed the Competency Based Assessment (CBA) Framework and conducted the pilot assessment on the inaugural KJSEA.
Dr. Njengere has made immense contributions in educational assessment in the continent through the Association for Educational Assessment in Africa (AEAA), where he has served as Vice President (2021-2023) and President (2023-2024). He is currently the Executive Secretary and CEO of the Association, having been nominated in March 2025, and officially appointed to the office during the AEAA General Assembly held on 29th August 2025, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
In recognition of his dedication, professional expertise and contribution to the advancement of educational assessment, he was appointed the President of the Eastern Africa Association for Educational Assessment (EAAEA) in 2023. KNEC is also a primary member of the International Association for Educational Assessment (IAEA), and the CEO has been supporting the Association’s undertaking in various ways, including peer review of papers for the 2024 Conference that was held in USA.
Prior to his appointment as KNEC CEO, Dr. Njengere was the education advisor to the Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Education, the late Prof. George Magoha. He previously worked at KNEC and the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) and was instrumental in the conceptualization and design of the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) and CBA approaches for the ongoing education reforms in basic and teacher education. He is a national CBC Champion.
Dr. Njengere has a wide experience as an educationist and has been involved in many initiatives in education reforms at national, regional and global levels. Part of these initiatives was the Presidential Working Party on Education Reform (PWPER) where he was a member of the Secretariat. He chaired some of the East African Community Technical Committees sessions that culminated in the framework for harmonization of education systems and curricular.
He has been a resource person with the International Bureau of Education (UNESCO) on several assignments, including being a facilitator with the government of Malaysia on curriculum-related issues. He is also a Council member at KICD, the Kenya Institute of Special Education (KISE) and the Kenya National Commission for UNESCO (KNATCOM).
Dr. Njengere holds a PhD in Education, a Master of Philosophy in English and Bachelor of Education in English and Literature all from Moi University. He also holds a postgraduate diploma in Curriculum Design and Development from the International Bureau of Education (UNESCO) and Open University of Tanzania, and a Certificate in design and development of large-scale assessments from Education and Testing Services, Princeton, New Jersey.