CBE chaos: Grade 10 learners grapple with shortage of teachers

Three months into Senior Schools, Grade 10 learners under the Competency-Based Education (CBE) system are still struggling to settle.

Emerging realities have exposed deep systemic gaps, including teacher shortages, infrastructure deficits, financial constraints and logistical confusion over subject combinations.

A major challenge is the lack of teachers trained in specialised learning areas, particularly technical subjects and emerging fields such as sports science, aviation and marine studies.

Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association (KESSHA) chairman Willie Kuria said many principals have been forced to improvise to keep learning on track.

“We are using Physics teachers to handle Electricity, Power Mechanics and related subjects. Some schools are temporarily relying on Biology teachers to teach Marine and Fisheries as well as Aviation, but this is not sustainable,” Kuria said.

The reform was designed to allow learners to specialise in three broad pathways: Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), Social Sciences and Arts and Sports Science, aligned with their talents and career aspirations.

The STEM pathway alone comprises four tracks—Pure Sciences, Applied Sciences, Technical Studies and Engineering and Technology Studies—each requiring teachers with highly specialised training.

While some Cluster 1 and 2 schools appear better prepared, the majority of public schools, especially in rural areas under Clusters 3 and 4, remain under-resourced.

At Pangani Girls High School in Nairobi, principal Millicent Odhiambo said the school has invested heavily to prepare for the transition.

“We are taking all three pathways. In the STEM pathway, we have increased capacity, introduced smart classrooms and improved technology. In social sciences, we are also fully ready,” she said.

Moi Girls’ Vokoli principal Hellen Luhangala added that transfers between schools have disrupted subject combinations, but the school is actively addressing the problem.

“Some students indicated that they had chosen pathways they were not comfortable with. We worked closely with the ministry and found alternative measures to place them in the correct pathways,” she said.

Machakos School principal Benson Manoo noted that current Grade 10 learners are aged between 15 and 16, older than the traditional Form One entrants under the previous system.

“We practice co-parenting and urge parents to help instil discipline in learners. We aim for an all-round nurturing process,” he said.

Manoo added that schools are also struggling to adjust timetables to accommodate the wide range of subjects under the CBE system.

“The timetable has been a challenge because we now offer many subjects and about 60 different combinations. The methodology is also different since CBE is learner-centred. Teachers must guide group discussions and practical problem-solving,” he said.

He further explained that his administration had to reorganise schedules and facilities to prevent confusion and ensure smooth learning.

“As we break for the term, we have to adjust to the systems and align the timetable because we are using the same bell system,” he said.

The transition is also increasing operational costs for schools, with technical subjects requiring specialised equipment and workshops, while arts and sports pathways demand additional infrastructure such as playing fields, music studios and creative arts rooms.

Schools offering Arts and Sports Science, for example, must provide facilities for multiple disciplines including football, rugby, tennis, basketball, handball, volleyball and hockey.

Similarly, STEM subjects such as aviation, power mechanics, electricity and woodwork require expensive equipment and laboratories.

While large schools can manage these costs, principals in smaller institutions admit they can only offer limited pathways due to infrastructure constraints, forcing learners into options that may not align with their interests.

Many county and sub-county schools lack essential facilities such as science laboratories, workshops, ICT infrastructure and reliable internet connectivity, all of which are necessary for specialised learning.

A principal from Murang’a said the shortage of trained teachers has forced schools to hire instructors privately.

“The government has placed Grade 10 learners in schools without teachers trained to deliver the new pathways. We have to find competent teachers, which adds extra cost,” the principal said. Several schools have resorted to advertising vacancies under Board of Management (BOM) terms to fill staffing gaps.

In some cases, schools are sharing facilities with neighbouring institutions or transporting learners to locations with the necessary infrastructure, adding further financial strain.

Kuria questioned the sustainability of the current fee framework, highlighting the immense financial pressure on schools.