Category: Curriculum

Understanding Kenya Competency-Based Education (CBE)

Junior School. For many parents in Kenya today, those two words still carry a mix of emotions. Excitement. Curiosity. Concern. Even a bit of confusion. And honestly, that’s completely normal.

Over the past few years, the Competency-Based Education (CBE), formerly Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), has moved from theory to reality. The first cohorts are already in Junior School, and families are no longer asking “What is CBE?” but rather “Is my child on the right path?”

This guide breaks things down simply, clearly, and honestly, based on what is actually happening on the ground in Kenya today.

So, What Is Junior School?

Junior School refers to Grades 7 to 9 in Kenya’s CBE system. It sits within the middle level of education, which looks like this:

• Early Years Education: Pre-primary + Grades 1-3
• Middle School: Grades 4-6 (Upper Primary) + Grades 7-9 (Junior School) 
• Senior School: Grades 10-12.

In simple terms, Junior School is the bridge between primary school and specialization in Senior School.

This is where things start to shift:

• Learning becomes more practical and skill-based.
• Learners are exposed to new subjects and career directions. 
• Independence and critical thinking are emphasized more than ever before. 

State of Implementation (The reality on the ground)

When Junior School was first introduced, there were many unknowns. Today, things are clearer, but not perfect. 

Milestones achieved so far include:

Junior School is now fully implemented

Learners are now fully spread across Grades 7, 8, and 9, with the system firmly in motion. What began as a pilot phase has matured into a real, active, and continuously evolving part of Kenya’s education system. The first cohort has already completed junior secondary and transitioned to Senior School, marking a major milestone for CBE. Meanwhile, the second cohort is preparing to sit their national assessments at the end of 2026 as they transition to Senior School, offering a clearer picture of how the system is functioning in practice.

Junior School is domiciled in Primary School

Junior School is now fully hosted within existing Primary Schools. This approach was a deliberate response to earlier concerns around age, safety, overall readiness, and transition challenges.

By keeping learners in familiar environments, it has largely eliminated the need for transfers, along with the disruptions that often come with them. It has also reduced the risks associated with mixing with much older students, while easing the financial burden on families.

Schools are still catching up

Let us be honest – not all schools are equally prepared. While some have made strong progress, with improved classrooms, better-trained teachers, and access to the necessary learning materials, others are still facing real challenges. In some schools, congestion remains a concern, facilities, especially for practical subjects, are limited, and there are gaps in teacher availability, particularly in specialized areas.

What Still Worries Parents Today

Even today, many parents continue to share similar concerns, now shaped by the realities of how CBE is being implemented on the ground. We explore some of these concerns below.

The reality of learning and adjustment

While Competency-Based Education is designed to promote practical, skill-based learning, the reality in some schools is different. In certain cases, learning still feels too theoretical, largely due to limited resources and uneven readiness across institutions.

Teacher preparedness

Although teacher training has improved over time, gaps still remain, especially in newer learning areas such as pre-technical studies and in the use of continuous assessment methods. This affects how confidently and effectively the curriculum is delivered in the classroom.

Assessment clarity

CBE relies on a combination of school-based assessments such as projects, practical work, and class activities, and national assessments like KPSEA. While this blended approach is strong in principle, many parents still struggle to clearly track progress or compare performance across different schools in a meaningful way.

Cost of learning

Cost remains a very real concern. Even in public schools, parents are often required to contribute toward learning materials, projects, and practical activities, as well as general school development needs. As a result, CBE can feel more expensive than expected, particularly for subjects that require hands-on learning.

The Bigger Question About the Future

Many parents are now asking a deeper, long-term question: whether this system will truly prepare their children for Senior School, university, and ultimately the job market. This uncertainty continues to shape how families experience and respond to the ongoing changes in education.

How Are Learners Assessed?

Assessment under CBE is continuous – not just about one final exam. The goal is to evaluate not just memory, but also skills, understanding, and application. However, in practice, consistency across schools is still improving.

At the end of Grade 6, learners sit the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA). Their overall performance considers:

• School-based assessments (major portion) 
• KPSEA (national exam).

This combined score helps guide placement and progression.

What Do Learners Study in Junior School?

Junior School introduces a broader and more practical curriculum. The following subjects form part of the curriculum at Junior school:

• English
• Kiswahili or Kenya Sign Language
• Mathematics
• Integrated Science
• Pre-Technical Studies
• Social Studies
• Religious Education
• Agriculture
• Creative Arts and Sports
• Foreign Languages (French, German, Mandarin, Arabic)
• Indigenous Languages
• Pastoral Program of Instruction.

The Big Shift: Preparing for Senior School

At the end of Grade 9, learners transition to Senior School (Grades 10–12), where they choose a career pathway from among 3 options:

• STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics)
• Social Sciences 
• Arts and Sports Science 

This is where career direction starts to take shape more clearly, and it is exactly why Junior School matters so much – it lays the foundation for what comes next.

 What Should Parents Be Doing Right Now?

This is where things become practical. Instead of waiting for the system to be perfect, parents can take simple but powerful steps to support their children’s learning journey including:

Stay informed

Keep up with how the CBE system is evolving so they can better support their children. This includes regularly following school communication such as notices, meetings, and updates from teachers, as well as staying aware of any changes in the curriculum and how subjects are taught. It also involves understanding assessment changes so they can make sense of how their children are being evaluated through both school-based work and national assessments.

Focus on skills, not just grades

This requires shifting attention from exam scores to what a learner is actually able to do and what they enjoy doing. Instead of focusing only on marks, parents are encouraged to consider what the learner can do well and what naturally interests them. This approach helps to uncover a child’s strengths, talents, and potential beyond classroom tests. In a system like CBE, where practical abilities and competencies are important, this mindset supports learners to discover their passions, and develop real-life skills that prepare them for the future.

Support exploration

Endeavor to intentionally exposing the child to opportunities that help them understand themselves and the world around them. This includes guiding them on how to approach career planning, introducing them to different career paths, and giving them practical experiences that make learning real and relatable. It also involves helping them use digital learning tools that broaden their access to information and skills. Together, these experiences build curiosity, confidence, and clarity as learners begin to discover what they are good at and where their future possibilities may lie.

Work with the school

Build a strong partnership with teachers and the school in support of the learner’s growth. This involves actively engaging with teachers, asking thoughtful questions, and seeking clarity whenever needed to better understand the child’s progress and learning needs. When parents and schools work together consistently, it creates a supportive environment where challenges are addressed early, learning is strengthened, and the learner is given the best possible chance to succeed.

A Final Thought

CBE, and junior secondary in particular, is still evolving and being refined as it takes root across the country. But one thing is already clear – the world has changed, and education has to change with it. The real opportunity today is not simply to go through the system, but to engage with it intentionally and meaningfully, so that learners can discover who they are, what they are capable of, and where their future can take them.

The Kenya Certificate of Primary Examination marks the end of primary school education and beckons the imminent transition of learners to secondary school. The examination tests the knowledge acquired over the 8 years of primary school in three (3) short days. 

The 8-4-4 system of education which has been established to be teacher-centered favors the tyranny of content coverage. It requires learners in primary school to consume large amounts of information after which the extent to which they can remember what they were taught is tested. 

After 8 long years of primary education, preparing for the national examinations is definitely a nightmare for many learners. However much they read, up to the last minute, there is always that lingering concern at the back of their minds in respect of syllabus coverage – whether it has been adequately and comprehensively executed. Some learners are known to have developed mental disorders as a result of the intense exam pressure and overexertion during revision processes leading to poor performance.

The Syllabus and Education

Success in the KCPE national examinations is dependent on various factors, one of which is proper syllabi execution. A syllabus is a guide or reference document used by educators. It outlines the key elements of a course including, the teaching philosophy, learning goals and objectives, learner and instructor responsibilities, course name, structure and content, instruction and learning resources, delivery timelines, assessment, and grading approaches among others.

Limited appreciation of syllabi provisions and how these impact learning and performance has been the downfall of many a learner and institution. One fundamental objective of a syllabus is to define the confines within which learning should happen to avoid information overload for learners at different stages of learning. 

Many teachers, unfortunately, rely on textbooks or borrowed notes and schemes, in instruction and related processes. Unfortunately, too for many learners, their only points of reference are course and revision books, many of which incorporate additional information beyond what is defined in the syllabus. Ignorant teachers and learners thus end up expending precious effort on worthless content that will never be tested.    

In this blog, we highlight some syllabus-related challenges and advance potential solutions that can help in surmounting them. 

Syllabus-related Examination Challenges

The factors below directly contribute to challenges experienced by learners come examination time: 

• Instructors not using syllabus as a guide in their teaching and teaching irrelevant content.
• Instructors skipping content in a rush to register completion of syllabi and meet steep targets in this regard.  
• Instructors running out of time due to slow coverage of the syllabus 
• Broadness of the syllabi and learning material, teacher-centered instruction approaches, and extra work to conform to market demands or counter stiff competition, all compete for the learners’ attention leaving little room for them to engage in personal study and revision. 
• Truancy and procrastination of learners who neglect their books and realize their mistake only too late, at which point they attempt to cram years’ worth of content in only a few days.  
• The recency effect where many learners concentrate their efforts on the revision of content covered in the final years of school.
• Ignorance and a limited line of sight with both teachers and learners having little appreciation of topics, end-to-end.  Many are limited in their ability to discern and connect the content taught in the different topics and how it progresses from one class to another. This impacts the flow and understanding of information, and causes confusion in interpretation and answering questions, especially where the content of different topics or subjects may be related.
• Adverse impact of learning by rote on the understanding of core concepts and developing essential competencies. 

Repackaged 8-4-4 Syllabus in Template Format (Classes 4-8)

It is important that teachers and learners are supported to understand and work in line with syllabus provisions in order to make learning more focused, manageable, and less stressful.  

With a proper line of sight, teachers are able to curate examinable learning content into level appropriate bite-sized portions that learners can easily consume and process. It is even better for learners if the information is presented in an organized manner that assists them in easily identifying core concepts and information.   

Repackaged comprehensive 8-4-4 primary syllabi for SST and Science subjects presented in template format is now available online.  They are  

• pre-packaged by topic end-to-end (Class 4 to Class 8 only) with information that falls under specific topics consolidated to facilitate complete line of sight. 
• presented in easy to use formats with structured and adequate spaces for entering appropriate information.
• Populated with topics and defined learning areas as provided in the syllabi to facilitate focused study and ordered note taking.

How to use the Primary Syllabus Template

The documents can be used to:

• guide revision and personal study as it highlights core content as provided in the syllabus.
• create summary notes which can be used for reference and quick study before exams. This will alleviate the need for learners to carry around and read bulky and overwhelming text books.  
• remind users of important subject content that they may have forgotten or overlooked.
• test learners to establish their recollection of syllabus content.

Access the repackaged primary syllabi templates here. 

KCPE Past Papers

Alongside studying, regular testing is recommended to establish one’s grasp of concepts that have been taught, and ability to recall related content. With the ongoing facing out of the 8-4-4 system, many publishers have also ceased publishing revision books. Specific to KCPE past papers, many learners have been forced to rely on old editions which are not comprehensive, or on alternatives created by business with no teaching background and which, consequently, do not meet KCPE standards. To make matters worse, due to the short academic year schools have limited time to put towards administering, marking and revising past papers. It is left to individual candidates to find time and papers for personal practice. In these harsh economic times, parents are finding it increasingly difficult to retain the services of dedicated teachers to support the candidates in marking and subsequent revision processes. 

The good news is that KCPE past papers are now available online at Quizmaster. Users can, through personalized dashboards, instantly access tests from anywhere using internet enabled devices including smart phones, tablets, iPads, laptops, and desktop computers. Marking of tests is automated, enabling users to get immediate results. It is a good exam preparation practice resource, especially for young people who spend a lot of time online.  It helps to gauge their level of preparedness and provides valuable insight on where to concentrate instruction, remedial or revision efforts. 

Subscribers to the Premium package have an added advantage in that they can instantly:

• sort and filter past KCPE questions, including by year, topic, and subtopic, and know the critical topics and content.
• know the frequently asked questions and how they are presented in the exam over the years. 
• instantly create bespoke tests, using the preloaded questions and answers, which can be administered digitally or downloaded.

General Study Tips

Under the 8-4-4 system of education, most subjects are memory dependent. Below are some general study tips that promote better content retention and recall: 

• focus on core material as specified in the syllabus. Be keen not to waste time on information that has been expressly specified in the syllabus as ‘not required’.
• study smaller portions at a time and for shorter periods. Take adequate breaks between study times.
• organize your information in a way that makes sense. Highlight important points and rewrite them in a summarized format in your own words. A useful resource in this regard is the primary syllabus template.
• Review your short notes regularly.
• Self-test yourself regularly to gauge what you can recall, familiarize yourself with exam questions, and improve your test taking skills.
• Eat a healthy diet, exercise, and get adequate rest.  
• Use memory aids like mnemonics, flash cards, visual metaphors and analogies, mind maps which you can reference including while on the move.  You can also use the technique of linking your content information to something or situation that you know.

Many graduates today leave school without the practical skills needed in today’s job market. This is largely because the world of work is changing fast, driven by rapid technological advancements and globalization. As a result, the competencies employers now look for are very different from those emphasized in the past.

To respond to this shift, many progressive countries have moved away from traditional content-based education and adopted competency-based education. While the core idea is similar across countries, each nation designs and implements its own version based on its context, needs, and priorities.

The Competency-Based Education is built on a simple but powerful idea: learners need early and continuous exposure to real-life situations if they are to succeed in life and work. That is why CBE includes cross-cutting themes, practical activities, and essential life skills right from the earliest stages of education. Learning is not just about what learners know, but what they can do with what they know.

In Kenya, this shift officially began in 2017 with the introduction of Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), later renamed Competency-Based Education (CBE), which was designed to gradually replace the long-standing 8-4-4 system that had been in place since 1985. The transition is being implemented step by step, with the final KCSE examinations under the 8-4-4 system expected to be held in 2027.

Because CBE is still relatively new in Kenya, many educators, parents, and stakeholders are still getting used to it. Moving from a content-heavy system to a competency-based approach requires a major mindset change. For the system to succeed, it is important to invest in awareness and understanding so that all stakeholders can fully appreciate the approach and actively support its implementation.

In this blog, we take a closer look at key elements of Competency-Based Education in the Kenyan context, helping to simplify, explain, and make the system easier to understand.Bottom of Form

Difference Between Competency-Based and Content-Based Education

Understanding the difference between competency-based and content-based curricula can still be difficult for many people. In this section, we try to make it clearer by comparing key aspects of the two systems in the table below.

Content-based curriculum	Competency-based curriculum
Focuses on covering and mastering a set syllabus within fixed timelines.	Focuses on developing competencies i.e. knowledge, skills, and attitudes.
It is structured and prescriptive, with limited learning pathways at the basic level.	It is flexible and allows learners to explore, practice, and specialize even at the basic level.
Uses mainly summative assessment (e.g. KCPE, KCSE, end-term exams) to measure performance and determine progression. Exams are short and largely test memory and recall.	Uses both formative and summative assessment. Learning and testing is continuous, focusing on what learners can actually do, with long-term performance considered for progression.
Emphasizes completing schooling and passing examinations, often focusing more on academic theory.	Emphasizes applying what is learned in real life and developing practical, productive skills.
Learning is mainly teacher-centered, where the teacher delivers information and learners listen and memorize.	Learning is learner-centered, where the teacher guides and facilitates active participation and exploration.
The teacher mainly presents facts and predetermined content from the syllabus.	Learners are encouraged to ask questions, investigate, and build knowledge through inquiry and research.
Teaching is usually done to the whole class at the same pace, with limited attention to individual differences.	Learning is differentiated to meet individual needs, abilities, and interests. Competition and ranking are discouraged.

Design of Kenya’s Competency Based Education

The Vision of Kenya’s Competency-Based Education is “Engaged, empowered, and ethical citizen”. Its mission is “Nurturing every learner’s potential”.

Policy documents that informed the change of curriculum from 8-4-4 to CBE include:

• Kenya Vision 2030
• The Kenya Constitution
• Taskforce report on the realignment of the Basic Education Sector (Chaired by Professor Odhiambo)
• Sessional Paper No. 2 of 2015
• The 21^st Century Skills
• Harmonized curriculum for East Africa
• Sustainable Development Goals
• KICD Needs Assessment Report 2010.

The Kenya Basic Education Curriculum Framework is built on eight National Goals of Education and supported by three major pillars, as outlined below.

National Goals of Education

This refers to the broad principles and statements that define the country’s goals for education. These goals guide what education should achieve nationally, and from them, specific learning objectives are developed and implemented.

The Kenya national goals of education are:

• Foster nationalism, patriotism, and promote national unity
• Promote social, economic, technological, and industrial needs for national development
• Promote individual development and self-fulfillment
• Promote sound moral and religious values
• Promote social equality and responsibility
• Promote respect for and development of Kenya’s rich and varied cultures
• Promote international consciousness and foster positive attitudes towards other nations
• Promote positive attitudes towards good health and environmental protection.

Kenya Basic Education Curriculum Framework Pillars

The Kenya Basic Education Curriculum Framework is supported by three key pillars that guide how learning is designed, delivered, and experienced in schools:

• Value-based education
  This pillar ensures that positive values are deliberately taught and reinforced during learning. Values are the principles that guide how learners behave and respond in different situations. Under CBE, the key values promoted include love, responsibility, respect, unity, peace, patriotism, social justice, and integrity.
• Guiding Principles
  These are the core ideas that shape how the curriculum is implemented. They include opportunity, excellence, diversity and inclusion, parental empowerment and engagement, community service learning, and differentiated teaching and learning to meet the needs of all learners.
• Theoretical Foundations
  These are the education theories that inform and support the CBE approach. They provide the basis for how learning is designed and understood. They include:
  
  • Instructional Design Theory
  • Visible Learning Theory
  • Constructivist Theories, including:
    
    • Vygotsky’s Socio-Cultural Theory
    • Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences Theory
    • Piaget’s Cognitive Development Theory
    • Bruner’s Cognitive Development Theory
    • Dewey’s Social Constructivism Theory
    • Erikson’s Psycho-social Development Theory Bottom of Form

Common Terminology Used in the Kenya CBE

Some of the terms used in the Competency-Based Education (CBE) are still unfamiliar or confusing to many people. The table below helps to simplify this by showing key CBE terms alongside their equivalent or related terms from the 8-4-4 curriculum. This is meant to make it easier to understand the changes in language and approach between the two systems.

Competency-Based Education	8-4-4 Curriculum
Curriculum Design	Syllabus
Learning Area	Subject
Activity	Lesson
Strand	Topic
Sub-Strand	Sub-topic

CBE also commonly uses the following acronyms.

Acronym	Description
BECF	Basic Education Curriculum Framework
EYE	Early Years of Education (It refers to the foundation stage of learning, which includes Pre-Primary 1 (PP1) to Grade 3.
SNE	Special Needs Education (It refers to additional support provided to learners who experience challenges in certain areas of learning, helping them to overcome barriers and achieve their full potential).
PCI	Pertinent and Contemporary Issues (This refers to important real-life issues that affect individuals, communities, and society today, included in the curriculum to help learners understand and respond to current social, environmental, and personal challenges.
PP (1 or 2)	Pre-Primary (This refers to the early stage of education before primary school, where young children are introduced to basic learning skills such as language, numeracy, social interaction, and creativity in a play-based and supportive environment.

Core competencies for Basic Education in Kenya

Seven core competencies have been identified as essential for every learner in basic education. These are the key skills and abilities that learners are expected to develop to succeed in school, work, and life. They include:

• Critical thinking and problem solving
• Creativity and imagination
• Self-efficacy
• Communication and collaboration
• Citizenship
• Learning to learn
• Digital literacy

More details on each of the seven competencies are provided in the blog titled “7 Core Competencies of Kenya Competency-Based Education.”

The Structure of Kenya’s Competency-Based Education System

Kenya’s Competency-Based Education (CBE) follows a 2-6-3-3 education structure. The table below outlines the different levels of education, the types of schools at each level, and the number of years that learners spend at each stage.

Level of Education	Types of Schools	No. School Years
Early Years of Education	Pre-Primary: PP1 and PP2	2
	Lower Primary: Grade 1-3	3
Middle School	Upper Primary: Grade 4-6	3
	Junior School: Grade 7-9	3
Senior School	Senior School: Grade 10-12	3

After completing Senior School, learners progress to tertiary education and training institutions such as universities or Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions.

The CBE promotes practical, engaging, and participatory teaching and learning methods. It also encourages strong parental involvement, including supporting learning at home and providing necessary learning materials.

Learning Areas in the Competency-Based Education (CBE) Structure

According to the Kenya Basic Education Curriculum Framework (2016), the learning areas under Competency-Based Education (CBE) are organized according to the different levels of education. These learning areas guide what learners study at each stage of their learning journey.

Pre-Primary 1 and 2 (EYE Level)

At this level, learners are introduced to the following learning areas:

• Mathematical Activities
• Language Activities
• Environmental Activities
• Creative Activities
• Religious Education.

The minimum age for admission into Pre-Primary 1 (PP1) is four years.

Lower Primary Grade 1-3 (EYE Level)

The learning areas offered at this level are:

• Indigenous languages
• Kiswahili/Kenya Sign Language (KSL)
• English Language Activities
• Mathematical Activities
• Religious Education Activities (CRE, IRE, HRE)
• Environmental Activities
• Creative Activities
• Pastoral Program of Instruction.

Upper Primary (Middle school level)

Learning areas at this level are:

• English
• Kiswahili/ Kenya Sign Language
• Mathematics
• Religious Education (CRE, IRE, HRE)
• Science and Technology
• Agriculture
• Social Studies
• Creative Arts
• Pastoral Program of Instruction.

Junior Secondary (Middle School)

Learners engage in the following learning areas at this level:

• English
• Kiswahili or Kenya Sign Language
• Mathematics
• Integrated Science
• Social Studies
• Religious Studies (CRE, IRE, HRE)
• Pre-Technical Studies
• Agriculture and Nutrition
• Creative Arts and Sports
• Pastoral Program of Instruction.

Senior School

• Specialization begins in Senior School, where learners are required to choose one of three pathways:

• Arts and Sports Science
• Social Sciences
• Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).
• All learners are required to engage in the following four (4) core (mandatory) learning areas, regardless of the pathway they choose:

• English
• Kiswahili/KSL
• Core Mathematics or Essential Mathematics
• Community Service Learning (CSL).
• All learners are required to choose three electives from the learning areas outlined below:

Social Sciences	STEM	Arts & Sports
Biology Chemistry Physics General Science Agriculture Computer Studies Home Science Aviation Building Construction Electricity Metalwork Power Mechanics Wood Technology Media Technology Marine and Fisheries Technology	Literature in English Indigenous Languages Fasihi ya Kiswahili Kenyan Sign Language Arabic French German Mandarin Chinese Christian Religious Education Islamic Religious Education Hindu Religious Education History and Citizenship Geography Business Studies	Sports and Recreation Music and Dance Theatre and Film Fine Arts

• Physical Education (PE) and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) are provided to all learners to promote physical well-being, make learning enjoyable, and develop practical life skills.
• Every school is required to offer a Pastoral Program of Instruction (PPI) to support learners’ moral development, character building, and spiritual growth.
• Learners are also given time for individual or group study, allowing them to pursue their interests, build deeper understanding, and improve their skills in areas of their choice.

Managing Learners with Special Needs

The Competency-Based Education (CBE) system recognizes that learners are different and may require varying levels of support to succeed. To ensure that every learner is included, the system provides for two main groups of learners with special needs:

• The first group includes learners who are able to follow the regular curriculum, but may need some adjustments to fully access learning. With the right support, such as adapted materials, assistive devices, or modified teaching approaches, these learners can learn alongside others in mainstream classrooms. This group includes learners with visual or hearing impairments, physical disabilities, mild cerebral palsy, learning disabilities, emotional and behavioral challenges, communication disorders, as well as those who are gifted and talented.
• The second group includes learners who may not be able to follow the regular curriculum. These learners require a more specialized approach to learning, often through tailored program designed to meet their specific needs and abilities. This group includes learners with mental disabilities, deaf, blindness, autism, cerebral palsy, multiple handicaps, and profound disabilities.

By recognizing these different needs, the CBE system aims to create an inclusive learning environment where every learner is supported to reach their full potential, regardless of their abilities or challenges.

Assessments Under Competency-Based Education (CBE)

Assessment in the Competency-Based Education (CBE) goes beyond exams. It is a continuous process designed to support learning, not just measure it. Through assessment, teachers are able to understand how learners are progressing and how best to support them.

Under CBE, assessments are used to guide teaching and learning decisions, determine the level of competence a learner has achieved, and track progress toward expected learning outcomes. They also encourage learners to reflect on their own performance, stay motivated, and take an active role in their learning. At the same time, assessments help to identify learning gaps, needed interventions, and cases where additional support or referral may be required.

To achieve this, CBE uses a variety of assessment approaches. These include:

• assessment for learning, which provides feedback to improve understanding; 
• assessment as learning, which helps learners become more independent and set their own goals;
• assessment of learning, which evaluates what a learner has achieved at a given point in time.

In addition, teachers use different tools and methods such as tracking checklists, rating scales with descriptive feedback, questionnaires, project work, journaling, and portfolios. Portfolios, in particular, allow learners to keep a record of their best work over time, making it easier to see growth and improvement.

CBE assessments include both formative and national assessments, guided by set assessment rubrics to support consistency, fairness, and accuracy in evaluating learner progress. While continuous assessment takes place throughout the learning process, learners also sit key transition assessments at the end of different stages of education, as follows:

• At the end of Grade 6, learners sit for the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA).
• At Grade 9, learners sit for the Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA).

Overall, CBE assessment is designed to build confident, reflective, and capable learners who understand not just what they have learned, but how well they can apply it.

In Senior School under Kenya’s Competency-Based Education (CBE), learners entering Grade 10 are expected to choose a career pathway that will shape the Learning Areas they study and guide their learning journey toward their future goals.

The three main pathways are: 

• Arts and Sports Science 
• Social Sciences 
• Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). 

Below are some pertinent considerations in Learning Area composition

• All learners are required to take the four core (mandatory) Learning Areas, regardless of the pathway they choose.
• All learners are required to choose 3 elective Learning Areas.
• Physical Education (PE) and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is offered to every learner, helping them stay active, enjoy learning, and build practical life skills.
• Every school is required to provide a Pastoral Program of Instruction (PPI) to nurture strong values, character, and spiritual growth.
• Learners also have dedicated time for personal or group study, giving them the freedom to explore their interests, deepen their understanding, and strengthen their skills in areas they care about most.

The total number of lessons each week is 40, organized as follows:

Learning Area Category	Learning Areas	No. Lessons per week(40 minutes per lesson)
Core Learning Areas	English	5
	Kiswahili	5
	Essential/Core Mathematics	5
	Community Service Learning	3
Elective Learning Areas	Elective 1	5
	Elective 2	5
	Elective 3	5
Core Support Learning Areas	Physical Education	3
	ICT	2
	PPI	1
	Personal/Group Study	1
Total		40

Senior School Learning Pathways and Examinable Learning Areas

Career Pathways	Learning Area Allocation	Core Learning Areas	Electives
Arts and Sports Science	Core (4)Electives (3)	English Kiswahili/KSL Core Mathematics/Essential Mathematics Community Service Learning (CSL)	Sports and Recreation Music and Dance Theatre and Film Fine Arts
Social Sciences	Core (2)Electives (3)	English Kiswahili/KSL Core Mathematics/Essential Mathematics Community Service Learning (CSL)	Literature in English Indigenous Languages Fasihi ya Kiswahili Kenyan Sign Language Arabic French German Mandarin Chinese Christian Religious Education Islamic Religious Education Hindu Religious Education History and Citizenship Geography Business Studies
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics	Core (2)Electives (3)	English Kiswahili/KSL Core Mathematics/Essential Mathematics Community Service Learning (CSL)	Biology Chemistry Physics General Science Agriculture Computer Studies Home Science Aviation Building Construction Electricity Metalwork Power Mechanics Wood Technology Media Technology Marine and Fisheries Technology