Kenya's CBC Curriculum: Latest Updates and What Parents Need to Know

Kenya's Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), introduced in 2017 and progressively rolled out across the education system, remains both one of the most significant education reforms in East Africa in recent decades and one of the most debated among parents, teachers, and education stakeholders.

As of mid-2025, the CBC continues to advance through the system — the first cohorts under the CBC pathway are now completing Junior Secondary School (Grade 9), with the first CBC-aligned national assessments approaching. This update summarizes where things stand, what the ongoing concerns are, and what families can do.

Where the CBC Rollout Stands in 2025

The CBC's original structure moves students through three phases: Early Years Education (Pre-Primary 1 and 2, Grade 1–3), Lower Primary (Grade 4–6), Upper Primary (Grade 7–9), and Junior Secondary School (Grade 7–9 in revised framing), before Senior Secondary School (Grade 10–12) and university.

The transition from the 8-4-4 system has been broadly implemented at primary level. The most significant current implementation issue is at the Junior Secondary level — the creation of new Junior Secondary Schools, the retraining of teachers, and the resourcing of the expanded curriculum are all ongoing challenges.

Ongoing Parent Concerns

Parent concerns about the CBC — which have been persistent since its introduction — continue to focus on several areas:

• Project-based assessment burden: The CBC places significant weight on practical projects and portfolios, which many parents feel places a disproportionate burden on family time and resources, particularly in lower-income households
• International recognition uncertainty: Parents who anticipate their children applying to universities outside Kenya worry about how CBC certificates will be evaluated by international institutions accustomed to the KCSE system
• Teacher readiness: Many teachers report feeling inadequately trained for CBC delivery, particularly in rural areas. This creates significant variation in quality between schools
• Transition cohort issues: Students who began their education under 8-4-4 and are now mid-stream under CBC face particular challenges as curriculum frameworks shift around them

The Ministry of Education's Position

The Ministry of Education has consistently affirmed its commitment to the CBC, citing evidence from early cohorts of improved critical thinking, practical skills development, and learner engagement. The Ministry has acknowledged implementation challenges and announced additional teacher training programmes and resources for Junior Secondary School delivery.

The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) has provided guidance on how the Grade 9 assessment will be structured and how results will factor into Senior Secondary School placement.

Options for Families Concerned About CBC

For families with significant concerns about the CBC — whether on international recognition grounds, pedagogical grounds, or practical implementation grounds — several alternatives exist:

• International schools: Most international schools in Nairobi and other major cities continue to offer the British (Cambridge IGCSE) or IB curriculum, insulated from CBC requirements
• Accredited virtual schools: Schools like Sunrise Virtual School offer both the Kenyan 8-4-4 curriculum and the internationally recognized Cambridge/Pearson Edexcel pathway. For families who want to retain alignment with Kenya's national system while accessing international recognition, the 8-4-4 pathway at SVS provides one option
• Hybrid approaches: Some families use supplementary international curriculum tuition alongside CBC schooling to ensure international qualification pathways remain open

Africa Education Review will continue to track CBC developments. For information on accredited virtual school alternatives: sunrisevirtualschool.com | +254 704 007 008 / +254 706 007 008 / +254 712 007 008