The government has officially transitioned the national education system from the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) to a new model known as Competency-Based Education (CBE), a move it describes as a major step towards nurturing learners’ individual talents and improving self-driven learning.
Speaking at a thanksgiving ceremony held at Baringo High School in Eldama Ravine, Education Principal Secretary Julius Bitok hailed CBE as “the best education system in the world.” He emphasized the model’s focus on developing students’ personal strengths and passions, stating that the approach is designed to produce a generation of capable and self-motivated youth.
“CBE is the best education system in the world because it gives our youth the potential to showcase their talents,” said Bitok. “We are going to use our new system called KEMIS to ensure that we have 100 per cent transition from Junior School to Senior School.”
According to Bitok, the government expects 1.2 million learners to transition from Grade 9 to Grade 10 under the new framework, with adequate preparations in place to accommodate all students in Senior School.
Despite the optimism, the rollout of CBE has faced criticism and concern from teachers and parents, particularly over the lack of clear guidelines on selecting learning pathways, a critical component of the system. This lack of direction has heightened anxiety across schools as the transition deadline approaches.
In response to these concerns, the Ministry of Education has convened more than 1,000 stakeholders to help refine and guide the implementation process. Additionally, the ministry has pledged to recruit 24,000 new teachers in 2025 to support the successful adoption of the new system.
The shift to CBE represents a significant milestone in Kenya’s education reform agenda, aiming to tailor learning experiences to individual student needs and align education outcomes with national development goals.
Written By Rodney Mbua
