CBE cannot survive more administrative missteps

Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba.[Elvis Ogina, Standard]

The Competency-Based Education (CBE) model was introduced as a bold vision to transform learning from rote memorisation into real-world skill development.

Yet, since its inception, the implementation of CBE has stumbled from one self-inflicted crisis to another. What was designed to liberate the potential of Kenyan children is instead trapped in administrative inefficiency, chronic underfunding, and systemic neglect.

The transition has been defined by recurring hurdles that continuously undermine both educators and parents. Schools across the country continue to struggle with a severe shortage of laboratories, specialised classrooms, and ICT equipment required to facilitate practical learning.

At the same time, continuous teacher re-tooling programmes remain inconsistent, leaving many educators poorly equipped to deliver the new curriculum effectively. The heavy financial burden of project-based assignments has consistently passed from the State directly to parents, widening the gap between privileged and underprivileged learners. Compounding these issues, textbook supply chains have a history of breaking down; previous grade rollouts, including the chaotic Grade 10 transition, suffered severe shortages, distribution errors, and delayed deliveries that forced classrooms to revert to lecture-style teaching.

Now, as the nation prepares for the next phase of senior school transition, this persistent mishandling has culminated in yet another looming disruption. A reported Sh7 billion debt owed by the government to local publishers threatens to halt the printing and distribution of Grade 11 textbooks entirely. Publishers warn that without settling these pending payments, the efforts to produce and deliver seven million copies for the upcoming academic cohort will be severely hindered. With the original distribution window already passing and deadlines rapidly approaching, learners face the real risk of beginning their studies without essential physical learning materials.

A curriculum cannot function on paper alone; learners require actual books on their desks to succeed. By repeatedly neglecting its fiscal duties and relying on last-minute crisis management, the government is effectively sabotaging learners and setting them up for structural failure. The Ministry of Education and the National Treasury must prioritise clearing pending debts owed to publishers and establish transparent, reliable allocation schedules. CBE holds genuine promise, but without immediate governmental commitment and fiscal responsibility, Kenya risks failing an entire generation.