Strengthening the Implementation of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) at the Junior Secondary School Level

Recognized for its ability to prepare students for the 21st-century workforce, competency-based education (CBE) has been widely adopted in developed countries, particularly within the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). This global trend has led to calls for African nations to also integrate CBE into their education systems, as envisioned by the Continental Education Strategy for Africa 2016–2025. As a result, several Countries in Sub-Saharan Africa have embarked on education curriculum reforms from knowledge-based to competence-based education in a bid to equip learners with relevant knowledge and skills that propel them to achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and consequently achieve socio-economic development (Nsengimana et al., 2020).

In Kenya, the competency-based curriculum (CBC) was introduced in 2017 to address the limitations of the 8-4-4 system, which was criticized for loaded content, inadequate teacher training, misaligned learning areas, and examination-oriented (Akala, 2021). The new curriculum seeks to identify and nurture every learner’s potential by providing relevant learning pathways and tracks at Senior School. In addition to emphasizing the nurturing of learners’ potential, CBC also seeks to enhance the relevance and smooth transition to the world of work by integrating Science, Technology, and Innovation, as well as ensuring that the skills imparted in educational institutions match the requirements of industry (Ministry of Education, 2023). To do this, seven core competencies are part of the revamped curriculum, including communication and collaboration; self-efficacy; critical thinking and problem solving; creativity and imagination; citizenship; digital literacy; and learning to learn (KICD, 2019). CBC follows a 2-6-3-3 path across the basic education levels, that is, 2 years pre-primary, 6 years in primary school (grades 1-6), 3 years junior secondary (grades 7-9), and 3 years in senior school (grades 10-12). The first cohort of students transitioned to the Junior Secondary School (JSS) level in 2023.