Learning what matters in Kenya

This report explores the implementation of Kenya’s Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) through a systems lens, examining with a particular focus on teachers how well the education system is creating opportunities for primary school learners to develop a broad range of skills essential for thriving in a complex and rapidly changing world. The CBC is an integral component of a wider shift to a competence based education (CBE) system in Kenya. The study was conducted across three counties in Kenya, representing Kenya’s diverse geographic contexts, including Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASAL), rural and urban informal settlements.

Findings revealed that while teachers as critical ecosystem actors broadly understand the pedagogical intentions of the CBC, the consistent and equitable development of competencies is constrained by gaps in teacher preparation, limited access to learning resources and digital tools (especially in ASAL regions), inadequate infrastructure, and varying levels of parental engagement. These challenges are compounded by weak cohesion and shared understanding across the wider system, including among school leaders, parents, and policymakers, further limiting coordination and effective implementation.

Using the 4P and 3C frameworks, the study surfaces the interconnected conditions that are required for systems transformation. It highlights how teachers’ ability to implement the CBC is influenced by their training and resource availability, how learners’ access to meaningful learning is shaped by power and positioning within communities, and how broader transformation requires commitment and collaboration across the education ecosystem—including parents, caregivers, communities, and government actors.

The report concludes with recommendations focused on expanding and decentralizing high quality, continuous professional development (CPD) tailored to CBC, strengthening coordination across education institutions, raising parents’ awareness and voices, rebalancing power to support school-level decisionmaking, and ensuring more equitable access to learning resources. These priorities are identified as critical enablers for translating the CBC from policy intent into meaningful practice, thereby advancing system-wide transformation.