- Launched in 2017, this new framework replaced the long-standing 8-4-4 system with the 2-6-3-3-3 model, designed to prepare learners for a dynamic and rapidly changing world.
- The cost of CBC materials, including specialised textbooks and learning tools, has raised concerns, particularly among low-income families who struggle to afford these additional expenses.
- The government must increase the education budget to adequately fund CBC initiatives, ensuring that resources are available to support schools and ease the financial burden on families.
Kenya’s Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), rolled out on January 3, 2019, continues to spark heated debate among key stakeholders.
Teachers, parents, trade unions, and academicians have voiced serious concerns about its implementation, with the latest criticism coming from the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) on November 14, 2024, describing the system as “crumbling.”
In an instant response, the Education Cabinet Secretary (CS) Julius Migos Ogamba issued a press statement defending the CBC, emphasising its benefits, the government’s commitment to funding, and its potential to transform education for over 11 million learners. The CS further cautioned critics, particularly the Catholic clergy, against dismissing the system entirely, urging for constructive engagement to address challenges.
As debates around Kenya’s CBC intensify, there are indicators that a sizeable portion of stakeholders, do not fully comprehend the system and its underlying framework with regard to its general understanding, structure, and stakeholder roles.
In a very simple language and for better understanding, this article lays bare details on CBC, delves on the system’s challenges in Kenya, and suggests possible solutions.
Competency refers to the skills, abilities, and knowledge required for an individual to achieve a specific level of performance. The CBC is built on the principle that learning is a lifelong journey, with individuals continually acquiring and refining their skills.
Unlike traditional systems, CBC places a strong emphasis on skill acquisition and practical learning. It is characterised by: specific measurable competency, content-based learning outcomes, continuous learner involvement until mastery, use of a variety of instructional strategies, focus on what learners need to know, pacing instructions to learners’ needs and learners demonstration of mastery of competencies.
The CBC represents a bold move in the evolution of Kenya’s education system. Launched in 2017, this new framework replaced the long-standing 8-4-4 system with the 2-6-3-3-3 model, designed to prepare learners for a dynamic and rapidly changing world.
The CBC is a paradigm shift from rote learning to practical skills and competencies, from emphasis on schooling to education, and from teaching to learning. The curriculum’s objective is to promote holistic development, ensuring students not only excel academically but also acquire real-life skills that enhance their employability and ability to create opportunities.
At its core, the curriculum emphasises seven key competencies: Communication and Collaboration, Critical Thinking and Problem Solving, Imagination and Creativity, Citizenship, Digital Literacy, Learning to learn, and Self Efficacy.
CBC’s core philosophy revolves around a learner-centred approach, where students play an active role in their education. This encourages creativity, exploration, and collaboration, creating an environment where students are motivated to engage deeply with their subjects. The focus is on skill-based learning rather than academic results.
The goal is to produce well-rounded individuals capable of succeeding in diverse professional fields, with a strong emphasis on developing an innovative and entrepreneurial mindset.
One of CBC’s most significant strengths is its alignment with modern global needs. The curriculum is designed to equip students with 21st-century skills, which are increasingly essential for success in a technology-driven world.
It encourages digital literacy, enabling students to thrive in tech-centric environments, and encourages creative thinking and innovation, breeding a generation of learners who are job creators, not just job seekers.
This shift towards a skills-based education is also vital for the country’s growing economy, preparing learners for the demands of a competitive global workforce while promoting self-reliance.
The CBC system is structured into three main levels: Early Years Education i.e. Pre-primary Education (PP1 and PP2) and Lower primary (Grades 1-3); Middle School Education i.e. Upper primary (Grades 4-6) and Junior secondary (Grades 7-9); and Senior School Education i.e. Senior Secondary (Grades 10-12).
This design ensures a seamless progression through the education stages while accommodating diverse learner needs. Transitions between levels are guided by continuous assessments (exams) conducted by the Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) at Grades 3, 6, 9 and 12, reducing the pressure of high-stakes examinations that characterised the 8-4-4 system.
The curriculum also includes pathways at the senior school level, allowing learners to specialise in any of the three areas: Arts and sports sciences, Social sciences, and Sciences, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
This flexibility ensures that learners pursue fields aligned with their interests and capabilities, preparing them for either Tertiary Education (TVET or University, depending on performance in Grade 12 assessment) or the job market. In CBC, what used to be called subjects are now known as learning areas, topics are known as strands and sub-topics called sub-strands.
Since its introduction, significant infrastructure investments have been made, including the construction of new classrooms and the introduction of learning materials tailored to CBC’s needs, such as textbooks, teaching aids, and digital resources.
Teacher training has also been a priority, with numerous capacity-building programmes and workshops conducted across the country to ensure educators are well-equipped to deliver the curriculum. These efforts reflect the government’s commitment to making the transition to CBC a success.
Despite the progress made, the implementation of CBC has encountered various challenges that threaten its full realisation. One of the primary concerns is the financial burden it places on both parents and schools.
The cost of CBC materials, including specialised textbooks and learning tools, has raised concerns, particularly among low-income families who struggle to afford these additional expenses. This has led to disparities in education access, with some learners facing barriers to receiving the full benefits of CBC due to financial limitations.
Teacher preparedness is another significant challenge. Although the government has launched training programmes, many teachers still feel inadequately prepared to deliver CBC’s hands-on, skill-based learning.
The transition from traditional exam-focused teaching to the CBC’s emphasis on practical learning requires substantial retraining and retooling, but the pace and depth of the training programmes have not always kept up with the demand for skilled educators.
Infrastructure remains a significant barrier, especially in public schools. Many schools, particularly in rural and marginalised areas, lack the necessary resources, including well-equipped classrooms, laboratories, and digital tools, to effectively support CBC’s emphasis on experiential learning. Without proper facilities, implementing CBC’s hands-on learning approach becomes challenging, hindering the curriculum’s potential.
Parental involvement is another critical factor in the success of CBC, but responses from parents have been mixed. Some parents fully embrace the curriculum’s goals and actively engage in their children’s education, while the majority express frustration over the additional time and financial demands that come with supporting CBC.
This lack of uniform buy-in has complicated the curriculum’s rollout, particularly in communities where resources are limited, and parents are already stretched thin.
Policy and coordination challenges from the Ministry of Education have significantly hindered the smooth implementation of the CBC. Ambiguous guidelines and unclear timelines and haphazard directives have left schools, teachers, and parents uncertain about their roles and implementation priorities.
A recent directive barring primary school teachers from instructing Junior Secondary learners, despite having done so for two years, has further complicated matters. This is likely to be problematic given that Junior Secondary learners in Grade 9 are due for KNEC assessment in less than a year’s time (end 2025), and there is an acute shortage of Junior Secondary teachers nationwide.
These inconsistencies and shifts have disrupted the process, creating widespread confusion and slowing progress in the education sector.
To address these challenges, targeted solutions are necessary. The government must increase the education budget to adequately fund CBC initiatives, ensuring that resources are available to support schools and ease the financial burden on families.
This includes subsidising learning materials and ensuring their equitable distribution, particularly to schools in disadvantaged areas. Additionally, more investment is needed in infrastructure, including public-private partnerships to provide schools with the facilities required to support CBC’s practical learning approach.
Teacher training must continue to be a priority. Regular workshops and refresher courses will help keep teachers up-to-date with the evolving needs of the education system.
Sensitisation programs to help parents understand the curriculum’s benefits and their role in supporting it must be conducted. Policies must be refined to provide clearer timelines and roles, ensuring that all involved parties understand their responsibilities. Better inter-agency collaboration will also ensure that the necessary resources are allocated effectively and that the curriculum is implemented consistently across the country.
As CBC progresses into tertiary education institutions, the challenges are likely to continue. As things stand today, TVETs and Universities have done nothing meaningful to adapt by restructuring their academic programs to align with the competency-based approach.
They are not planning, not investing in infrastructure, not developing innovative programs, nor are they retraining faculty members to deliver learner-centred teaching, yet in the year 2029, the CBC learners will be at their gates. This might be a simmering time bomb for Kenya.
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While the CBC has the potential to revolutionise Kenya’s education system, realising its full potential will require concerted efforts from all stakeholders.
The government must take a leading role by increasing funding for education, ensuring equitable resource distribution, and refining policies to facilitate smooth implementation.
With careful planning, collaboration, and investment, Kenya’s education system can successfully transition to CBC, ultimately shaping a generation of empowered, innovative, and skilled learners ready to lead the country into a prosperous future. The CBC is already here—it is now up to us to make it work.
