In the heart of Kenya’s educational evolution, a nationwide retooling exercise for senior school teachers is currently underway, marking a pivotal step in preparing for the arrival of Grade 10 learners in January 2026. The Teachers Service Commission has orchestrated this comprehensive programme, running from late July through mid-August 2025, to equip educators with the skills necessary to implement Competency-Based Education (CBE) in senior secondary education, with a focus on its three components: Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), Competency-Based Assessment (CBA), and Competency-Based Learning (CBL).
This initiative, backed by a government allocation of Sh980 million, targets teachers in both regular and special needs institutions across sub-counties emphasizing pedagogical shifts that prioritize learner-centered approaches. As the first cohort of CBE pioneers transitions from junior to senior secondary, this retooling underscores the government’s commitment to transforming an outdated system into one that fosters practical competencies. Yet, while this exercise highlights proactive measures, it also invites a broader examination of CBE’s potential to revolutionize Kenyan education, balanced against its implementation challenges.
Competency-Based Education (CBE) represents a paradigm shift from the traditional 8-4-4 system, which prioritized rote memorization and high-stakes examinations. Introduced in 2017 and progressively rolled out, CBE structures education around three interconnected components: the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), which defines the content and competencies to be acquired; Competency-Based Assessment (CBA), which evaluates learners’ mastery of these competencies; and Competency-Based Learning (CBL), which emphasizes student-centered, active learning processes.
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Together, these components focus on seven core competencies: communication and collaboration, critical thinking and problem-solving, imagination and creativity, citizenship, digital literacy, learning to learn, and self-efficacy. This framework aligns with global educational trends, aiming to produce graduates who are not merely knowledgeable but adaptable and innovative in a rapidly changing world. In Kenya, where youth unemployment remains a pressing issue, CBE promises to bridge the gap between classroom learning and real-world application by integrating practical skills, community engagement, and values-based education from early years through senior secondary.
The case for CBE’s transformative potential is compelling, particularly in a nation striving for economic and social progress. Proponents argue that its integrated approach, CBC’s relevant content, CBA’s practical assessments, and CBL’s emphasis on active learning, nurtures holistic development, enabling learners to apply knowledge in diverse contexts rather than merely regurgitating facts for exams.
For instance, CBA’s project-based assessments encourage creativity and entrepreneurship, qualities essential for Kenya’s Vision 2030 goals of becoming a middle-income economy. Early implementation data from lower grades suggest improved learner engagement, with parents and teachers reporting increased collaboration and relevance in education due to CBL’s learner-centered methods. Moreover, CBE integrates digital literacy and environmental stewardship, preparing students for 21st-century challenges such as climate change and technological disruption. In rural areas, where access to formal employment is limited, CBC’s focus on life skills such as agriculture and artisan trades could empower communities, reducing urban migration and fostering sustainable development.
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If effectively implemented, CBE stands to democratize education, making it more inclusive for diverse learners, including those with special needs, by allowing progression at individual paces rather than rigid timelines through CBL’s flexible approach.
Across the board, this approach promises systemic transformation. Economically, a skilled workforce, developed through CBC’s practical content and CBA’s rigorous evaluations, could attract foreign investment and spur innovation in sectors like technology and manufacturing. Socially, by promoting values like citizenship and collaboration, CBE could mitigate ethnic tensions and build national cohesion.
Education stakeholders, including the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development, envision a future where Kenyan graduates compete globally, equipped with competencies that transcend borders. The ongoing teacher retooling exemplifies this forward momentum, with sessions covering CBC’s pedagogical tools, CBA’s assessment methods, and CBL’s active learning strategies, ensuring educators are not left behind in this shift.
Nevertheless, objectivity demands acknowledgment of CBE’s current drawbacks, which, if unaddressed, could undermine its efficacy. Implementation of CBC, CBA, and CBL has faced significant hurdles, including inadequate infrastructure, resource shortages, and initial teacher unpreparedness. Many schools lack essential materials like textbooks, digital devices, and laboratories, particularly in underfunded rural regions, leading to uneven rollout of CBE.
Teacher training, while progressing, has been criticized for being insufficient in depth and coverage; surveys indicate that some educators feel overwhelmed by the shift to CBL’s facilitation role and CBA’s complex assessment methods, exacerbating burnout and resistance. CBA’s subjective assessments can lead to inconsistencies and parental confusion over grading systems.
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Furthermore, CBE’s flexibility risks creating disparities if not uniformly supported, potentially disadvantaging low-income families who cannot afford supplementary resources.
Principals have raised concerns ahead of the Grade 10 rollout, citing classroom overcrowding and the need for more dormitories in senior schools. These issues highlight that while CBE is conceptually sound, its execution demands sustained investment and stakeholder buy-in.
Despite these concerns, the drawbacks are not insurmountable and should not overshadow CBE’s high points. The government’s proactive steps, such as the current retooling and refinements to CBC, CBA, and CBL, demonstrate a willingness to adapt. International examples, like Finland’s competency-focused system, show that initial teething problems yield long-term benefits when supported by policy continuity. In Kenya, engaging stakeholders through forums and allocating resources strategically can mitigate risks, ensuring equitable access. As one education expert noted, “CBE is not perfect, but it is a step towards relevance in education.”
In conclusion, Competency-Based Education, through its integrated components of CBC, CBA, and CBL, holds the promise of transforming Kenya’s educational landscape into a dynamic, inclusive, and forward-looking system. By building on its strengths, practical skill development, learner empowerment, and global alignment, while addressing implementation gaps through ongoing reforms like the teacher retooling, Kenya can realize a truly revolutionary education. The nationwide exercise currently in progress is not merely preparatory; it symbolizes a collective resolve to invest in the nation’s future. With effective implementation, CBE will not only seem transformative but will indeed become so, equipping generations to thrive in an interconnected world.
By Newton Maneno
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