Understanding the CBC Curriculum in Kenya
Understanding the CBC Curriculum in Kenya
The Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) is Kenya’s educational approach designed to help learners develop the knowledge, skills, values, and attitudes they need to apply what they learn in real-life situations. Unlike an approach that places most emphasis on memorising facts for examinations, CBC focuses on what learners understand, what they can do, and how they apply their learning to solve problems and respond to everyday challenges.
CBC encourages active participation through discussions, projects, practical activities, investigations, and collaborative tasks. Teachers guide learners as they develop competencies, monitor progress through continuous assessment, and identify areas where additional support may be needed. Parents and guardians also contribute by encouraging learning at home and supporting the learner’s overall development.
- What Is Competency-Based Learning? Competency-based learning focuses on learners demonstrating their understanding and applying knowledge and skills in practical situations. Learners are encouraged to think critically, communicate effectively, work with others, and solve problems.
- The Core Competencies CBC promotes competencies such as communication and collaboration, critical thinking and problem-solving, creativity and imagination, citizenship, digital literacy, learning to learn, and self-efficacy. These competencies help learners use their knowledge meaningfully in different situations.
- Continuous Assessment Assessment takes place throughout the learning process. Teachers may use exercises, observations, projects, practical tasks, discussions, and tests to understand a learner’s progress and identify areas that need improvement.
- Learning Through Practical Activities Learners engage in hands-on activities, experiments, projects, and real-life problem-solving tasks. For example, a science learner may conduct an experiment and explain the results instead of relying only on memorised definitions.
- Supporting Individual Learners Learners develop at different rates and may demonstrate their strengths in different ways. Teachers can use assessment findings to provide feedback, adjust learning activities, and offer additional support where necessary.
- The Role of Parents and Guardians Parents and guardians can support CBC by providing time for homework, discussing what learners have studied, encouraging curiosity, helping with appropriate projects, and maintaining communication with teachers.
- How Students Can Succeed Under CBC Students should participate actively in lessons, ask questions, practise regularly, complete assignments, collaborate with classmates, and reflect on feedback. Understanding concepts and applying them to different situations is more valuable than memorising answers alone.
- How EduLink Can Support CBC Learning EduLink can help learners revise topics, explore difficult concepts, practise questions, receive explanations, and prepare for assessments. Learners can use these learning tools alongside classroom teaching, prescribed learning materials, and guidance from their teachers.