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KICD has urged teachers to embrace learners who question or correct them in class, saying that such interactions demonstrate the confidence, curiosity and critical thinking that CBE system seeks to cultivate.
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He urged teachers and school heads to view learner engagement as a positive outcome of the new curriculum, saying students who respectfully challenge their teachers are exhibiting the independent thinking CBE is designed to promote.
Teachers should embrace, rather than resent, learners who question or correct them in class, as such interactions demonstrate the confidence, curiosity and critical thinking that the Competency-Based Education (CBE) system seeks to cultivate, the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) has said.
KICD Chief Executive Officer Prof. Charles Ong’ondo urged teachers and school heads to view learner engagement as a positive outcome of the new curriculum, saying students who respectfully challenge their teachers are exhibiting the independent thinking CBE is designed to promote.
Speaking during the recently concluded Kenya Senior School Heads Association (KESSHA) conference in Mombasa, Prof. Ong’ondo said the CBE curriculum focuses on nurturing every learner’s unique talents and abilities instead of ranking students against one another.
He noted that this learner-centred philosophy is also the reason schools should avoid administering joint mock examinations for Grades 10 to 12 or rushing to complete the syllabus, practices that were common under the former 8-4-4 education system.
“I know of cases where Grade 10 students have been correcting their teachers who are struggling in areas the learners already understand. This is the generation we want—one that knows what is right or wrong and can politely correct,” he said.
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According to Ong’ondo, some learners are already well-informed about their chosen career pathways through personal research, making it natural for them to demonstrate advanced knowledge in certain subjects.
He called on school principals to create learning environments that allow every child to discover and develop their talents, enabling them to make informed career choices and confidently pursue their preferred pathways.
On curriculum implementation, Ong’ondo said CBE does not encourage conventional revision methods or exam-oriented teaching. Instead, teachers are expected to deliver the curriculum progressively by systematically covering learning outcomes as outlined in the syllabus.
He explained that the competency-based system is structured to support learners’ holistic growth from an early age.
At the pre-primary level, children spend two years developing social and interpersonal skills before joining Grade One, where they continue building these competencies alongside foundational academic skills.
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By the time they reach Junior Secondary School, learners are expected to identify their strengths and select career pathways aligned to their interests and abilities.
“When they reach Junior Secondary School, they are given the opportunity to explore their talents and decide which pathway they want to pursue,” he said.
Ong’ondo urged teachers to provide proper career guidance to Grade 10 learners, noting that they had already made pathway choices that should be supported rather than discouraged.
He also cautioned teachers against intimidating learners who request permission to use mobile phones for legitimate purposes, such as contacting their parents.
“It is not rudeness. That is how they have been socialised. This is the kind of generation CBE seeks to produce, and it takes time to nurture such learners,” he said.
The KICD chief further warned schools against administering examinations that fall outside the approved curriculum and purchasing unapproved learning materials.
By Frank Mugwe
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