As Kenya prepares to register the second cohort of Grade 9 learners into Senior School through the Kenya National Examinations Council portal, it is important to address structural gaps observed during the first transition under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC). While the reform is progressive, adjustments are necessary to ensure efficiency, fairness, and sustainability—particularly the realignment of school categories to reflect subject specialisation. Under the Ministry of Education guidelines, Senior School learners choose three specialised subjects from a pool of 38 across three pathways, in addition to four compulsory learning areas. These pathways are organised into seven tracks: Pure Sciences, Applied Sciences, Arts, Humanities, Languages, and Sports Science.
However, the continued classification of schools as C1, C2, C3, and C4—largely inherited from the 8-4-4 system—does not reflect CBC’s pathway-based design. Senior School is not about prestige categories; it is about specialisation. During the first cohort placement, several technical and skill-based subjects recorded very low enrollment across many schools. Subjects such as Metal Work, Wood Technology (Wood Work), Marine and Fisheries Technology, Creative Arts, and Sports and Recreation had cases in which schools received only one, two, or three learners. This creates serious inefficiencies. Employing a specialised teacher and investing in workshops or studios for only a handful of learners is not sustainable—especially when another nearby school may have viable numbers in the same subject.
The government should therefore reprofile schools based on the tracks they are equipped to offer. Schools with laboratories and strong STEM facilities can focus on Pure and Applied Sciences. Institutions with workshops can specialise in metalwork, Wood Technology, and other technical subjects. Coastal or lake-region schools can serve as hubs for Marine and Fisheries. Selected institutions can be designated as Creative Arts or Sports Science academies. Learners would then select schools based on subject specialisation rather than category status. Placement must strictly follow subject choices to ensure viable class sizes, and transfers after placement should be minimised to protect projected enrollment numbers.
Internationally, this model has proven effective. In Germany, secondary education is structured into differentiated pathways—academic, technical, and vocational—with schools clearly aligned to specific orientations. This avoids resource duplication and ensures that teachers and facilities are optimally utilised. Similarly, Singapore has specialised institutions, such as science- and arts-focused schools, where infrastructure and staffing are aligned with talent development. Kenya’s CBC philosophy is closer to this specialised model than to uniform school categorisation.
Where full specialisation is not immediately possible, structured cross-teaching should be institutionalised across defined school clusters. Specialised teachers in subjects such as Marine Technology, Metalwork, or Sports Science can serve multiple schools within a cluster. This approach would prevent teacher underutilization, address staffing shortages, ensure learners’ access to qualified instructors, and promote collaboration among institutions. Cluster-based staffing models are globally recognised as cost-effective during education transitions.
Before deploying teachers or procuring specialised equipment, accurate enrollment data per subject code must also be confirmed. Senior School operates differently from the 8-4-4 structure; subject uptake varies widely across regions. Data must guide infrastructure investment, staffing, and procurement to avoid waste and misallocated resources.
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Another concern is the requirement for learners to undertake seven learning areas, including four compulsory ones. For learners pursuing technical subjects such as Wood Technology, Metal Work, Marine and Fisheries, or Sports and Recreation, time is critical. These fields require extended practice, research, and often apprenticeship or industry attachment. Overloading such learners with seven learning areas may dilute the depth of specialisation intended under CBC. Competency-based systems globally emphasise mastery rather than volume. A more flexible structure that allows technical learners additional time for apprenticeship and project work would better align with CBC’s skills-oriented philosophy.
The compulsory nature of Mathematics for all learners also raises policy concerns. While numeracy is essential, forcing learners to take Mathematics at advanced levels—especially those who did not select it as part of their pathway—may contradict the spirit of specialisation. CBC emphasises learner agency and talent development. If a learner has chosen an Arts, Sports, or certain technical pathway, compelling them to pursue Mathematics beyond foundational competence may undermine their strengths rather than enhance them. Competency-based education should balance core literacy and numeracy with flexibility, ensuring functional numeracy relevant to chosen pathways rather than enforcing uniform academic requirements.
Ultimately, the success of Senior School under CBC depends not only on curriculum design but also on administrative alignment. Maintaining outdated C1–C4 categories while implementing a pathway-based curriculum creates structural contradictions. Kenya should realign school categories by specialisation, strengthen cluster-based teaching, use enrollment data to inform planning, review the seven-subject load, and reconsider blanket compulsory subject policies. If these reforms are implemented before the second cohort selection, the Senior School transition will become more efficient, equitable, and aligned with CBC’s true purpose: nurturing talent, competence, and meaningful career progression.
By Polycarp Ateto
Ateto is a ranking teacher, trainer and CBE champion.
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