The ongoing Senior School Cohort 2 retooling is opening secondary school teachers’ eyes

The national Competency-Based Education retooling cohort 2, which is concluding this week, has been an eye-opener in many ways, not because it introduced entirely new ideas, but because it clarified, aligned, and deepened understanding of what outcomes-based education truly demands of teachers, school leaders, and the system at large. One of the most illuminating areas has been the unpacking of learning outcomes, previously referred to rather casually as specific objectives, and the revelation that these outcomes are not isolated classroom statements but part of a carefully layered national architecture of learning. The CBE framework envisions six interrelated levels of learning outcomes, each building on the other, each serving a distinct purpose, and together forming a coherent pathway from national aspirations to the lived experience of a learner in a single lesson.

At the apex of this structure are the National Goals of Education. These are not classroom targets and should never be treated as such. They articulate the kind of citizen Kenya seeks to nurture: a patriotic, ethical, creative, productive and globally competitive individual. During the retooling, it became clear that these goals are the philosophical and moral compass of the entire education system. Every curriculum design, assessment decision and pedagogical choice is meant to trace its legitimacy back to these goals. When teachers complain that CBE feels overloaded or abstract, it is often because this top layer has been ignored, leading to fragmented implementation that lacks purpose. Understanding the National Goals reframes teaching from syllabus coverage to nation-building.

Flowing from these national goals are the Level Learning Outcomes, particularly relevant now as the country transitions into Senior School, covering Grades 10 to 12. These outcomes define what a learner should demonstrate by the end of a level of education, not in terms of memorised content but in competencies, values and applied skills appropriate to their stage of development. The retooling highlighted that Senior School outcomes are deliberately broader and integrative, preparing learners for pathways into higher education, training, employment and lifelong learning. They are not the responsibility of a single subject teacher but the collective responsibility of all learning areas within that level. This understanding challenges the traditional silo mentality that has long dominated secondary education.

Below the level outcomes sit the General Learning Outcomes, which act as bridges between the broad level expectations and the more focused subject demands. These outcomes describe what learners should achieve across a learning area or a cluster of related subjects. They ensure coherence and progression, preventing unnecessary repetition and gaps as learners move from one grade to another. The retooling sessions made it evident that many teachers have been implementing subject content without a clear grasp of these general outcomes, resulting in lessons that may be technically correct but educationally disconnected. Recognising general learning outcomes restores continuity and progression, which are central principles of competency-based learning.

Subject Learning Outcomes form the next layer and are derived directly from the Curriculum Designs provided by KICD. These outcomes specify what competencies, knowledge, skills and values a learner should develop through a particular subject by the end of a grade or phase. The retooling emphasised that subject outcomes are not merely content statements disguised as outcomes. They are deliberately framed to focus on application, demonstration and integration of learning. This is where many teachers experience discomfort, especially those trained in content-heavy, examination-driven systems. However, once understood, subject learning outcomes provide clarity on what truly matters in teaching a subject, moving the focus from “what to teach” to “what the learner should be able to do”.

From subject learning outcomes flow the Specific Learning Outcomes, which are articulated in Schemes of Work. These outcomes break down the broader subject intentions into teachable, assessable units that align with the curriculum design’s strands and sub-strands. The retooling exposed a common weakness: many schemes still resemble old syllabi, listing topics and activities without explicitly stating the competencies to be developed. Properly written specific learning outcomes guide the teacher’s choice of learning experiences, resources and formative assessments. They ensure that every week of instruction is purposeful and cumulatively contributes to the subject and level outcomes.

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At the most immediate and practical level are the Lesson Learning Outcomes, spelt out in lesson plans. These outcomes define what the learner should achieve by the end of a single lesson or lesson sequence. The retooling was substantial in that lesson outcomes are not the same as teacher activities. They are learner-centred, observable and measurable demonstrations of learning. When lesson outcomes are well aligned with specific, subject and general outcomes, teaching becomes focused, assessment becomes meaningful, and remediation becomes targeted. Poorly written lesson outcomes, on the other hand, create confusion, superficial learning and misaligned assessment.

What emerges from this six-level framework is a powerful insight: CBE is not about abandoning structure but about deepening alignment. Each level of learning outcomes serves as both a guide and a check on the level below it. When alignment is strong, learning is coherent and purposeful. When alignment is weak, the system fragments, and teachers feel overwhelmed. The retooling cohort 2 has therefore been an eye-opener, shifting the conversation from compliance to understanding. It invites teachers to see themselves not as deliverers of content but as designers of learning experiences within a national vision.

Ultimately, the success of Competency-Based Education will depend on how well teachers internalise this hierarchy of learning outcomes and translate it into daily practice. The retooling has shown that clarity of outcomes is not an administrative requirement but the backbone of quality education. When national goals, level outcomes, general outcomes, subject outcomes, specific outcomes and lesson outcomes speak to each other, the learner stands at the centre of a system that knows where it is going and why.

By Ashford Kimani

Ashford teaches English and Literature in Gatundu North Sub-county and serves as Dean of Studies.

You can reach Ashford via email at ashfordgikunda@gmail.com