Competency Based Education which was formally known as Competency Based Curriculum was officially changed on 25th April, 2025 on a National Conversation Forum on Education. “Curriculum is dynamic, and we have an opportunity to be able to review some of the aspects of our curriculum. I am happy to note that today is the day we are also officially launching the new brand from CBC to CBE," Julius Bitok, the PS for Education announced.

The Competency-Based Education (CBE) is an approach that allows students to advance based on their ability to master a skill or competency at their own pace regardless of environment. It is a student-centred approach focusing on mastering specific skills and knowledge at one's own pace, rather than relying on traditional, time-based, or age-graded classroom structures. It prioritizes real-world application, offering personalized learning, flexible pacing, and continuous assessment to ensure proficiency.

CBE is structured into distinct stages with specific focus. It is a 2-6-3-3 education system where Pre-Primary education emphasizes on interaction skills, Primary focuses on socialization skills, Junior schools focuses on exploration of interests and abilities while Senior schools prepares learners for careers through specialization. 

The CBE offers four pathways in senior school to match the students' unique talents and career goals. These pathways are designed to develop 21st century skills, preparing students for further education, work or entrepreneurship. The senior school curriculum has a total of 38 subjects with Pure Mathematics (STEM), English, Kiswahili and Physical Education being the core subjects.

 

Kenya is a developing country that is constantly looking for ways to grow. The implementation of the Competency-Based Curriculum is one example of such development. The establishment of this framework arose from the need to update and enhance Kenya's education system. The education sector considered that it was equally important to promote knowledge application as it was to promote its acquisition. The implementation of CBE emphasized what learners were expected to do rather than what they were expected to know. For example, it is not enough that students know the process of growing a plant, instead, they could be tasked with sprouting a plant from a bean, which allows them the opportunity to apply the acquired knowledge to real-life scenarios.

CBE is majorly divided into three pathways;

i) STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics)

This is ideal for students who are passionate about science, problem-solving, innovation, and technology. It focuses on Mathematics, Biology, Physics, Chemistry and Computer science. Its career pathways are; Medicine, Engineering, Computer Science, Architecture, Aviation, Pharmacy, Research Sciences, Data Analysis, Robotics, Environmental Science and Agricultural Technology.

ii) Social Sciences

It is ideal for students interested in society, economics, governance, business, and human behavior. It focuses on how the world works and how people communicate. It’s perfect for those interested in Law, Journalism, Business, or Languages as their career. Subjects taught are History and Government, Geography, Business Studies, Economics and Religious Education.

iii) Arts and Sports Sciences

This is ideal for creative students with talents in arts, music, sports or performance. For the first time, being a great footballer, musician, or artist is treated with the same academic respect as being an engineer.

Traditional education has long treated students much like items on a factory conveyor belt, moving them along from grade to grade based primarily on the amount of time they have spent in a classroom regardless of whether they have actually grasped the material. CBE tries to eliminate this practice by placing the student at the centre of their own learning journey. 

We should embrace this shift because it acknowledges a fundamental truth. Students learn at different rates and in different ways. Moving away from the theory approach is not just a trend, it is a necessary evolution to ensure that students are not left behind simply because they required a bit more time or a different method to truly internalize a difficult concept. By focusing on practical rather than seat time we confirm the student’s effort and intelligence in whatever he/she is interested in.

Beyond the mechanics of learning, CBE is vital because it aligns our educational outcomes with the realities of the modern, rapidly changing workforce. Employers today are not hiring based on how many years a candidate spent in a lecture hall but they are hiring based on what that candidate can actually demonstrate they can do.

We must also consider the psychological impact of this change. Traditional grading often creates an environment of anxiety, where a single bad test score can define a student's perceived intelligence and limit their academic trajectory. 

CBE replaces this high-stakes environment with a focus on continuous improvement and actionable, formative feedback. It transforms the role of the teacher from a mere lecturer to a coach or mentor. This partnership is far more effective at fostering a growth mindset. Instead of failing a course, a student simply continues working on the material until they hit the mark. This removes the stigma associated with needing extra time and helps students develop resilience. 

We therefore should embrace CBE system of education so as to help learners to focus on the field that they are really interested in and increase their chances of getting employed in the digital world.

Parents whisper about brighter tomorrows. Little brothers and sisters gaze up like heroes walked in. Whole neighborhoods bet

everything on school being the ticket out. But there's another side no one talks about. It's not in the glossy photos or the proud speeches. It hides in the dim glow of hostel lamps at midnight, in those solitary walks across empty quads, in the

hush when the day's chaos finally die down. It's the invisible load they shoulder alone, day after day.

This past weekend at Chuka University grief crashed in like a storm. Word spread in whispers, rippling through lecture halls and hostels. Phones lit up with texts that hit like punches. Friends huddled in shadows, voices low, eyes wide with "no, not them." Some just sat there, numb, replaying yesterday's hellos. 

The air felt thicker, emptier, even in rooms packed with people. And it's not just

Chuka. This pain echoes across campuses nationwide in hostels from coast to highlands, in universities big

and small. One loss after another, each one carving out the same raw questions, the same aching quiet. Different halls, different names, but the same hidden fights. It's a pattern that's breaking hearts, demanding we look closer. What sticks hardest are the what-ifs. Did we miss the signs, buried under small talk? Could one kind word, one real check-in, have shifted everything? How does someone in a sea of faces end up drowning alone?

From the outside, these students seem unbreakable. Up at dawn for lectures, notebooks stuffed in bags, hustling from class to class. They crack jokes over chapo, swap stories in the quad; life looks solid. But underneath? Battles raging out of sight.

Money woes hit like a brick wall. Fees pile up, meals stretch thin, what's meant for months vanishes in weeks. Hunger becomes a dull ache you push down, promising yourself "later." Social spots? Off limits without cash. Rent days loom like thunderheads, no rain in sight.Home calls twist the knife. Mom

asks, "How's school, mwanangu?" full of pride, blind to the storm. They can't help; they're barely holding on themselves. So you smile through the line, "All good," sparing them the weight.

Then, academics crush in. Failure isn't just a grade, it's the whole dream crumbling. Every test feels like judgment day, every slip a step towards nothing. No room to breathe, no mercy for the tired.

Loneliness sneaks up in crowds. You're surrounded, yet miles from anyone who gets you. First time away from home, support

networks feel like ghosts. No one to read your silences, to just 'know'. So you fake the grin, nod along, tell yourself to tough it out. Weakness? Nah, not here. Pain festers unseen.

Mental health talk still feels risky often brushed off as "just stressed." Silence isn't empty; it's a cage with no key.When it

does, the void screams. Half-finished chats hang in the air. We wonder what they felt in those last hours; did they hurt alone, unseen?

These aren't one-off tragedies. They are screams from the strain so many carry nationwide, every campus, every quiet corner. Education is a lifeline. Sure, but for too many, it's survival too. They walk into halls loaded down not just books, but family dreams, future fears, the terror of letting everyone down. We could concur that all they crave is simple humanity; safe corners to spill without shame.

Words that say struggle isn't failure. Help that sees the person, not the transcript. Recognition that every face holds untold stories. Because in every lecture hall, behind every smile, there's a weight that might be too much for one set of shoulders.

Marriage was not on his immediate horizon. but one evening his phone rang with a call that would change everything. On the line was his uncle, speaking with the authorities of Luo community traditions. "We have brought you a wife since you had refused to marry. So we have decided for you". These words were heavy when they fell on his ear like a stormy cloud blotting out the sun. 

Shock coursed through him. He paused before replying, "uncle, I cannot accept her. I want to be a priest. My calling is not for marriage".

A long silence followed. Then, his uncle’s voice rose, sharp with disbelieve anger. "Priesthood! You speak of priesthood after we have brought you a wife? Do you think you can shame us with such claims?" 

Otieno tried to steady his voice, "Uncle, I respect you, but my calling is to serve God. I cannot marry. I want to be a priest.” The uncle continued telling Otieno how he would whip him if he was there since a man must marry and build a home.

Otieno, still on the call sat fragile between tradition and conviction. This moment was terrifying yet clarifying. His uncle’s anger revealed the depth of cultural expectations. But it also strengthened his resolve. What Otieno could not understand was the fact that they had brought a wife for him and a five-year-old boy. 

What rang in his mind was "do they think I am not capable of having my own kids?" Hours turned into days and days into months when Otieno recorded the call from the uncle again. This time it was not about the marriage scenario again since for the past three months Otieno had been avoiding his uncle’s calls. This time round the uncle said to him “the wife I brought for you is expectant. “This was unbelievable until when the true blow came when he learned that the woman was not only expectant but also pregnant by his own cousin.

This was cruel. There was a man who had not set eyes on a woman, who had not been home for months, suddenly told he was not her husband and soon to be a father of two -yet the children were no his. 

The family attempt to solve his” problem” of bachelorhood had created a deeper problem; one that mocked the very tradition they sought to uphold. Otieno’s reaction was a mix of disbelief and bitter humor. “So, I am married to a woman I have never met, and she is carrying a child that is not mine,”

and you say this is to save me from shame?" His words carried both pain and irony exposing th absurdity of the arrangement. The situation turned the family on its head. 

Instead of securing a lineage scandal, trying to force Otieno into marriage they had given him a wife whose loyalty was already claimed elsewhere? All this was happening to Otieno just because he was an orphan. Yes, the mother was still alive but had no authority whatsoever. Coming from a family which lured traditional critics, the mother could not stand and say anything without being contradicted by the uncle who now stood as

the father and the head of the family. Talking to Otieno, he added that he left home because he saw it fit to change the way things were and to try to help the mother out and give her siblings a sustainable upbringing since he was the eldest in the family.

Before turning to say he would wish to become a priest, he was an artist who used to compose Luo songs; Ohangla. A talent he identified back in high school. He now thought that he could not

pursue such a dream because of the mounting pressure back home. 

The same family that had not given any support in his music journey now had added another unreasonable burden yet avoided important situations in his life. At first the wonder was about if indeed he wanted to be a priest as he had told the uncle, but it

seemed it was just a plot to tell them in another way he was not for a woman whom he had no interest in and any desires of any cost. 

He had hopes that the priesthood claims will push away the uncle into believing that he had made up his mind and had no intentions of marrying at all. It seems like all this was going to be in vain, since there was no way, the uncle was going to let this slide away and "ruin" his home. 

Otieno went on adding that what hurt him most was the fact that they did not only marry for him a wife but also made the wife get a child the so called “wife” whom he did not ask for nor had any desires for leave alone laying eyes upon her. 

The uncle even suggested for the two cousins to split responsibilities claiming that parental  responsibility is not carried by one person alone. Otieno found this unrealistic in the way that, the unborn child was not his neither was he for the one who was five years old. For Otieno, the irony deepened his conviction. "Uncle", he said’ voice steady despite the storm inside him. "This is not my path. I will not marry. I will serve God.”

The call was made during the commissioning of a KES 50.6 million state-of-the-art TVET skills hub at the University of Embu. Speaking at the event, Principal Secretary for Higher Education and Research Dr. Beatrice  Inyangala underscored the urgent need to bridge the country’s widening technical skills gap.

“For many years, Kenya has struggled with a significant shortage of practical technical skills. This deficiency within our institutions of higher learning has made it challenging for graduates to compete effectively in the job market. Universities must seek partners who can bring in transformative projects that empower students not just to secure jobs, but to create their own opportunities,” she said.

Dr. Inyangala reiterated the government’s resolve to align university education with the realities of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. She noted that institutions prioritizing technical and entrepreneurial training will continue receiving strong policy and financial backing.

“The job market is shifting rapidly due to innovations such as blockchain and virtual reality. Students must therefore move beyond theoretical learning and embrace critical thinking, creativity, and entrepreneurship. The government is strengthening industry partnerships and alumni engagement to ease graduates’ transition into employment,” she added.

She applauded the M-Pesa Foundation for financing the facility, describing the investment as a major boost to national development goals and the United Nations Sustainable Development agenda.

“This project aligns with our national priorities and advances SDG 4 by promoting inclusive, quality education that nurtures a skilled and future-ready workforce. It ensures that students leave university fully prepared to tackle the demands of today’s economy,” Dr. Inyangala noted.

Representing the foundation, trustee Patricia Ithau pointed to the long-standing disconnect between academic training and labor market demands, which has left many graduates unemployed for years.

“For too long, we have witnessed graduates remain jobless long after completing their studies. The gap between what is taught and what the market requires is evident. That is why the M-Pesa Foundation has partnered with the Ministry of Higher Education to close this gap,” she said.

Ithau revealed that the foundation plans to replicate the initiative nationwide. "We intend to move across all counties, collaborating with higher learning institutions to equip students with the resources and skills they need. Our goal is to enable graduates to become entrepreneurs, reducing overreliance on formal employment and encouraging self-employment,” she added.

Embu Vice Chancellor Prof.  Daniel Mugendi Njiru welcomed the partnership, thanking both the Ministry and the foundation for their commitment to strengthening technical education. “We appreciate the Ministry’s dedication to enhancing technical competencies in our universities. With this support, our graduates will leave here ready to employ themselves because they possess the skills necessary to generate their own income,” he said.

Professor Mugendi described the facility as a transformative milestone for the university, which has previously grappled with limited infrastructure for technical programs."I sincerely thank the M-Pesa Foundation for this generous investment. The Sh 50.6 million ultra-modern TVET hub marks a turning point in our efforts to close the technical skills gap that has persisted,” he said.

The center is projected to train more than 1,300 students annually, equipping them not only with practical expertise but also with starter toolkits to launch their ventures immediately after graduation.

“We are targeting over 1,300 trainees in this facility. Upon completing their courses, they will receive tools of trade to help them establish their own businesses without waiting for formal employment,” Professor Mugendi revealed.

Constructed over a one-year period, the new hub addresses critical infrastructure shortfalls at the university. It houses fully equipped workshops for phone and computer repair, a dedicated barbershop training unit, and modern spaces for hairdressing and massage therapy.

Serving the university’s 9,410 students, the center delivers hands-on, market-oriented training designed to produce graduates who are skilled, innovative, and ready to thrive in a competitive economy.

Sometimes it might sound like a recipe for stability; no protests ,no riots and no big debates in parliament and also in grassroot levels, yet beneath the reality the absence of opposition often reveals a fragile system ,one that risks stagnation ,dictatorship and disconnection from the people it claims to serve.  

On a morning in the silent capital of a country, the sun rises over the capital. Streets are orderly, banners of the ruling party hang, and the national anthem echoes from loudspeakers. Citizens walk briskly to work, heads down, voices hushed.

There are no campaign posters, no rallies, but inside every seat belongs to the same party; every vote is anonymous; every law passes without question. This type of system shows the real illusion of harmony ,the ruling authority enjoys uninterrupted control where laws are passed swiftly ,policies are implemented without resistance and leaders project an image of unity.

Citizens may even feel a sense of order where there are no noisy campaigns ,no bitter rivalries ,no uncertainty about who governs tomorrow. But the reality is harmony without opposition is often an illusion ,without checks and balances ,power consolidates in the hands of a few ,decisions are made behind closed doors and citizens lose the ability to influence their future. The absence of opposition does not mean the absence of disagreement. It only means disagreement is suppressed. 

The reality has a human cost, imagine being a citizen in a country where there is no opposition, you may disagree with a new tax, a restrictive law or foreign policy decision. Where do you go? Who represents your voice? Because media is censored and journalists risk imprisonment for criticism and keeping those in power accountable, forcing even radio stations to play only government approved content, television stations only invite government officials to debate and interviewers are restricted from asking questions that may criticize some things the government is not doing correctly. 

The dailies and magazines are forced to only write about the good sides of the government and even threatened not to talk ill or write on contrary to the government. If they keep the ruling class accountable, they risk revocation of the license and being banned from operating. 

There is this one time a 22-year-old student told me behind closed doors, “I want to start a podcast, I want to talk about unemployment, corruption, climate change” but he told me that his uncle warned him and told him “Don’t be clever. Be quiet.” So that’s why Brian records music and love songs. Nothing political because of the fear instilled by those in power, the fear of being arrested and jailed without trial since there is no opposition. 

In such a country, even resistance exists, for example a poet writes verses that hint at injustice ,a teacher assigns banned books in secret to students and maybe a farmer refuses to join the ruling party's cooperative. These acts are small but powerful. They remind us that opposition is not just a political but it is also personal, cultural and spiritual in some ways.

These practical examples are real evidence that shows how people are feeling in countries where there is no opposition. But also, without opposition a country achieves success, for example roads are paved and smooth, schools are built and hospitals are fully equipped with medicine and beds and doctors don’t go on strike. 

Foreign investors praise the country's stability but also the cost is high, corruption is rampant, public funds vanish without scrutiny, citizens fear speaking out due to fear of abduction and innovation is stifled. Even in countries without in opposition resistance whispers in that you find a teacher slips a forbidden book to student, a journalist writes anonymously online, a citizen dares to question in private. These whispers remind us that opposition is not a luxury, but it is a necessity. 

There is this one time I talked to a guy called Ayub asking him why he changed his writing style in terms of topics in his newspaper but Ayub told me, “I used to write columns. I wrote about potholes , about hospitals, but one day, I wrote about a minister who misused funds. The next morning ,my newspaper was shut down and told I am free to write but only praise. Now I write travel brochures. I describe mountains and rivers but inside I miss writing the truth". This made me Imagine of a country where a citizen is never free to express his/her opinion ,write on contrary to the government. This question still lingers in my mind every day. This has made me reflect on so many issues and also have to ask different people their opinions including students in Universities.

There was a time I interacted with a foreign student who visited our country and became a little curious because I saw him a little bit surprised with how things are run in our country. I asked him how were things operating in his county in terms of opposition. But Job told me, “I want to be a lawyer, but the law is not about justice. It is about obedience. We study cases where the government always win. There is no defense, no appeal. Sometimes I dream of arguing in court, standing against the State, proving them wrong, but that dream is dangerous, My professor told me in that country, lawyers defend the government, not the people,”.

This testimony from Job made me put myself in that situation and reflect even how teachers some times feel during lectures when students become courageous enough to ask tough questions that may challenge the professors and teachers in such countries. 

A country without opposition seems orderly, peaceful, united but the silence hides fear. Stability masks fragility and unity conceals repression. Opposition is not chaos, it is balance.