The Ministry of Education has taken a major step towards introducing Competency-Based Education (CBE) in universities, setting the stage for sweeping changes to how higher education programmes are designed, taught and assessed.
The State Department for Higher Education has invited consultants to help develop a framework that will guide the adoption of CBE across Kenyan universities, extending a learning model already implemented in primary and secondary education.
The move could eventually reshape university curricula, lecturer training, assessment methods and the skills students are expected to demonstrate before graduation.
Ministry Begins Work on University CBE Framework
In a notice issued on Tuesday, August 18, the State Department for Higher Education said it was seeking consultants to support the Commission for University Education (CUE) in reviewing, validating, developing and operationalising a University Competence-Based Education Framework.
The framework is expected to focus on improving the quality, relevance, employability, innovation capacity and industry responsiveness of university education.
The ministry wants the new system to move university education closer to clearly defined competencies and practical skills required by employers and different professional sectors.
This could mean universities will have to rethink programmes that have traditionally relied heavily on theoretical instruction and examinations.
University Courses Could Undergo Major Changes
Under the proposed framework, university programmes will be reviewed to establish whether their content matches labour-market requirements and Kenya's wider development priorities.
Students could eventually encounter significant changes in how they learn and demonstrate their abilities.
The reforms are expected to introduce clearer learning outcomes and graduate skill profiles for different academic disciplines.
Course content, teaching approaches and assessment methods could therefore be redesigned around what students are capable of doing rather than simply what they know.
The framework will also provide guidance on curriculum development, teaching, assessment, practical learning and digital education.
Universities to Face Readiness Assessment
The government is also planning to assess individual universities to determine whether they are ready to implement the new model.
The assessment will identify institutions requiring additional resources, infrastructure, technology or technical support before CBE can be fully implemented.
This could create significant financial and administrative pressure for universities, particularly institutions that lack adequate digital infrastructure or facilities for practical and competency-based learning.
Universities may also need to redesign internal academic systems and retrain staff to accommodate the new approach.
Lecturers Face New Skills Assessment
The reforms will not only affect students and universities.
The ministry has advertised a separate six-month consultancy to assess lecturers' teaching capabilities, digital skills and preparedness for CBE.
The exercise is expected to identify gaps requiring additional training and professional development before implementation begins.
The move signals that lecturers will be expected to adapt to teaching methods that place greater emphasis on practical competencies, technology and measurable learning outcomes.
For university educators accustomed to conventional lecture-and-examination models, the transition could require substantial changes in classroom practice.
CBE Rollout Timeline Faces Fresh Questions
The latest move also raises questions about the timeline for implementing CBE in universities.
The planned consultancy is expected to run for 12 months, meaning the framework could extend beyond 2026.
This appears to contrast with an earlier indication by Higher Education Secretary Carol Hunja in March that the university CBE rollout would be completed by the end of the year.
The new timeline suggests the government is still working through important technical and institutional requirements before the system can be operationalised nationally.
Consultants have until September 7 to submit expressions of interest for the two assignments.
Universities Prepare for Education System Shift
The planned university CBE framework represents another major phase in Kenya's broader education reforms.
While the government says the system will improve graduate employability, innovation and alignment with industry needs, its implementation will require significant coordination between the Ministry of Education, CUE, universities, lecturers and employers.
The ultimate test will be whether the reforms produce graduates with practical skills that translate into employment and entrepreneurship opportunities.
For universities, however, the message is increasingly clear: the traditional approach to designing, teaching and assessing degree programmes is headed for a major review as Kenya prepares to take competency-based education into higher learning.
