- Teachers have been challenged to move beyond preparing professional records merely to demonstrate compliance with requirements.
- Maruti J. Soita says lesson plans, assessments and reflections should provide measurable evidence of what learners achieve.
- Hillary Muhalya reports that school leaders have also been urged to strengthen instructional supervision through clear delegation and continuous support.
Teachers have been challenged to move beyond filling professional records for compliance and make every lesson plan, assessment and reflection demonstrate what learners are actually achieving under Competency-Based Education (CBE).
Maruti J. Soita, Curriculum Support Officer in charge of Siyoi Zone, counselled teachers to align classroom practice and professional records with the demands of CBE, stressing the need for clear competencies, measurable learner outcomes and evidence-based reflection.
He emphasised that monitoring of teaching and learning should be an active, continuous responsibility within every school, rather than something undertaken only in preparation for an inspection.
The responsibility begins with the headteacher, who should establish clear structures and formally delegate specific academic and supervisory duties to the deputy principal and senior teachers.
The headteacher remains responsible for overall instructional leadership, assigning duties, coordinating implementation and following up on school-wide performance.
The deputy principal, working under the headteacher’s direction, should coordinate day-to-day academic activities, monitor implementation of professional requirements and follow up matters delegated by the headteacher.
Senior teachers should take responsibility for the areas specifically assigned to them, including supporting classroom instruction, checking professional records, coordinating subject or departmental activities, monitoring assessment and identifying areas where teachers or learners require support.
Delegation should be clear enough that every officer understands what they are responsible for, what evidence is expected and who they report to.
The approach should be developmental rather than punitive—identifying gaps early, providing support and following up agreed interventions.
Isaac Sitienei, the cluster chairman, encouraged all members to improve in the areas highlighted, urging teachers to take the guidance positively and use it to strengthen their professional practice.
Harmonise every record with CBE
All school records should be harmonised with the demands of CBE.
Schemes of work, lesson plans, records of work, assessment records, learner portfolios and reflections should form one coherent trail—from the competency targeted, through classroom activities and assessment, to reflection and intervention.
The competencies to be developed must be clear, specific and measurable.
A teacher should be able to state what learners are expected to demonstrate, how the competency will be developed and what evidence will confirm achievement.
Where a particular teaching resource is unavailable, teachers should improvise what they do not have, using appropriate locally available materials without compromising the intended learning outcome.
The reflection column should provide evidence of learner achievement rather than simply record whether a lesson was completed.
Entries such as “taught” or “not taught” provide little information about what learners gained from the lesson.
A more useful reflection would state: “28 out of 32 learners achieved the intended competency. Four learners require additional support through a guided activity during the next lesson.”
Such an entry captures achievement, identifies a gap and points to the next intervention.
Teachers should therefore record, where appropriate, the number or percentage of learners who achieved the outcome, competencies demonstrated, evidence gathered, learning gaps identified and support or intervention required.
The reflection should answer one fundamental question:
What does the evidence tell me about my learners, and what will I do next?
Planning, recording and assessment must be consistent
The frequency of lesson planning, records of work and assessment should be clearly established and consistently followed.
Lesson planning should be done regularly and in advance of instruction, with the competency, learning activities, resources and assessment approach clearly identified.
Records of work should be updated continuously and accurately reflect lessons actually undertaken.
Assessment should be continuous and aligned with the competency being developed. Appropriate methods may include observation, oral questioning, written tasks, practical activities, projects, demonstrations, performance tasks and portfolios.
The aim is not to generate paperwork for its own sake. Records should provide useful evidence that helps teachers evaluate learning and adjust instruction.
Ultimately, effective school leadership requires more than assigning titles. It requires clear delegation, active supervision, professional support and accountability at every level.
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When headteachers provide direction, deputy principals coordinate delegated responsibilities, senior teachers provide subject-level support and teachers use evidence to improve instruction, CBE becomes a practical classroom process rather than a documentation exercise.
By Hillary Muhalya
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