Why Kenya must never look back on free education, CBE

I have been a teacher for over 30 years, 11 of them outside of Kenya. During this time, I have taught across a range of curricula, including 8-4-4 during its formative stages and eventual meltdown, the British system at its peak both locally and abroad, Cambridge, as well as various adapted versions of liberal education.

I can state with confidence that each curriculum has its own merits and limitations. However, it is imperative that Kenya does not revert to the challenges of the 8-4-4 era.

Let us go back to 2003 when President Mwai Kibaki boldly introduced free primary education. It opened a floodgate of criticism and there started the watered down version of 8-4-4 that saw most learners cram to pass rather than to understand. I was at the time already teaching the British curriculum and hoped the leadership could borrow a leaf from the curriculum. Dreams are valid. In 2008, Free Secondary Education was introduced again by Mr Kibaki with a myriad of teething problems that further watered down the tattered curriculum.

The 2010 Constitution marked a new dawn for the country and the education sector. The last 15 years have seen progressive changes in the sector that most people have been castigating but which I want to defend.

After many missteps, Kenya has finally transitioned its curriculum to Competency-Based Education (CBE). Note that all other systems have always used CBE, and that is why international schools produce all-rounded students who are more confident and world ready.

Where public schools have always limped, the CBE system, if well implemented, will save the day.

I have followed the conversations around CBE especially among scholars, teachers and politicians and l am yet to pick out anyone who has a valid reason against the merits of CBE. Funding? Take it up with the government of the day. Training? Tap into the global best practices networks. Hardware? Reuse by all means and upgrade. We will be denying a generation the best ever system should politics win, local, county or national!

Last week, I had the privilege of participating in the INSET (In-service Education and Training) week of a reputable international school, an experience that highlighted practices which public schools could also embrace, particularly if CBE is fully integrated at both policy and systemic levels. Teaching is a highly demanding profession, and when uncertainty is added to it, it becomes nearly impossible.

Global best practices emphasise that teachers should be equipped with ongoing professional development at the start of every academic year and at least twice more during the year to sharpen their skills, address emerging challenges, and remain empowered and classroom-ready. It is not sufficient to issue stern warnings or to circulate WhatsApp messages, many of which lack substantive content. CBE requires continuous retooling of teachers to ensure its effective implementation.

If today a Kenyan Junior Secondary School student travelled to Sweden, aside from the language barrier, they would easily fit into the system and excel. That is the bigger picture, one that should propel parents, policymakers and the education sector to work together if only for the good of the student. Finally, CBE is a system that mimics what international schools have done for eons.

Education is the ultimate equaliser. I daresay that CBE will produce a new generation brought together not by how much money your heirloom can fetch, but by a system that recognises competency, nurtures it and prepares one for the world. I am excited just saying that out loud!

CBE is a game-changer. With a learner-centered approach and the teacher as a facilitator, the learner becomes a practical problem solver who is not time bound; if you do not solve it in one day, you can always try it again tomorrow.

A common misconception I have encountered among many parents and guardians I have interacted with is the belief that CBE is expensive. Compared to what, exactly? In truth, CBE is not inherently costly; rather, it requires the committed involvement of all stakeholders—learners, teachers, parents and the wider community. Unfortunately, over time, that sense of shared responsibility has eroded, which is why CBE is often mistakenly perceived as foreign or burdensome in our context.

As the world advances and as Kenya continues to celebrate the gains of its progressive constitution, we must ensure that education keeps moving forward. CBE may be exactly what is needed. Its learning outcomes align with globally respected standards, and its methodology emphasises the development of learner competencies. My only hope is that the assessment framework will eventually be harmonised to move away from the outdated notion that a single examination should determine an individual’s entire future

As schools worldwide and across our country settle into another demanding term, and as the final cohort under the 8-4-4 system prepares for their national examinations, it is time to boldly embrace change in the right direction. CBE is a principle I am deeply committed to advancing!