Coast school heads meet in Mombasa to address gaps in CBE rollout

Hundreds of secondary school principals from across the Coast region have converged at Pride Inn Hotel in Mombasa County to deliberate on the implementation of Competency-Based Education (CBE).

The forum has brought together key stakeholders from the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD), and county education officials to discuss the ongoing transition to school pathways, subject selection processes, timetabling guidelines, and the broader challenges facing CBE rollout.

Speaking during the opening ceremony Coast regional chair of secondary school principals, Douglas Mkongo said the meeting is expected to unpack emerging gaps and chart a clear way forward to strengthen the implementation of the curriculum reform.

“We are here because of CBE. We want to understand some of the nitty-gritty, share the challenges, and agree on how to move forward,” he said.

Mkongo said CBE remains relatively new and continues to demand intensive engagement from school administrators and teachers. He said the forum was crucial in enhancing the administrators’ grasp of the new curriculum.

ALSO READ:

Kisii: Nyakeiri Secondary School students report to back after strike

Mkongo noted that the consultative meeting will enable school heads to reflect on existing hurdles, share experiences, and explore practical solutions that can ease the transition and improve learning outcomes across the region.

Taking the school heads through the morning session, KICD curriculum developer John Wachila unpacked the CBE structure, the various pathways, and the factors that informed its adoption.

Wachila reminded the principals that the 8-4-4 system was heavily exam-oriented, pushing learners into memorization rather than nurturing practical skills.

“The old system emphasized academic achievement at the expense of technical skills,” he said.

He noted that the rigidity of the previous system contributed to high dropout rates, particularly in primary school, as learners struggled under pressure to perform in the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) exams.

A section of coast region secondary school heads attend a retreat at the Pride Inn Hotel in Mombasa County on Friday, February 6, 2026.

Wachila also highlighted a long-standing mismatch between the education system and the needs of the job market, which he said had fueled unemployment among graduates.

During the session, he also guided the principals through possible subject combinations at the senior school level, explaining how they align with the three major pathways under CBE.

He further discussed sample timetable combinations for STEM subjects, illustrating how schools can organize learning periods to accommodate practical lessons, projects and assessments without overwhelming learners.

 By Shaban Omar