Education Ministry Announces Major Changes To University Courses Under New CBE System

The Ministry of Education has taken its first concrete step toward extending Competency-Based Education into universities, in a shift that could eventually reshape how degree courses are built, taught and graded.

In a notice published on Tuesday, August 18, the State Department for Higher Education invited consultants to help draw up a framework for rolling out CBE at university level, the same model already in use in primary and secondary schools.

The department said the work would support the Commission for University Education in reviewing and preparing the framework ahead of implementation.

“The services to be included under this project are to support the Commission for University Education in the review, validation, development, implementation and operationalization of a University Competence-Based Education (CBE) Framework in Kenya that enhances quality, relevance, employability, innovation capacity and industry responsiveness of university education,” the notice read.

The consultancy is expected to run for 12 months, which pushes the framework’s completion past the end of this year, a notable shift from what Higher Education Secretary Carol Hunja indicated back in March, when she said the CBE rollout for universities would be wrapped up by the close of 2026.

At the core of the plan is an effort to spell out clearer learning outcomes and graduate skill profiles for each academic discipline, built around what professional bodies and industry actually need from graduates.

In practice, that could mean changes to course content, how classes are taught, how students are assessed, and what skills they’re expected to show before they graduate.

University programmes will also be reviewed against how well they align with employer needs and the country’s broader development goals. Beyond that, the framework is meant to guide curriculum design, teaching methods, assessment, practical training, digital learning and other aspects of how university education is delivered.

Each institution will be evaluated for its readiness to make the switch, so the ministry can flag where universities might need extra support or resources.

Alongside the framework consultancy, the ministry has put out a separate, six-month tender to evaluate lecturers themselves, their teaching skills, digital competence and general preparedness for a CBE-style system.

That assessment is intended to surface where university staff may need further training before the new approach takes effect.

Consultants interested in either assignment have until September 7 to submit their expressions of interest, as the ministry continues laying the groundwork for CBE’s rollout in higher education.

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