More than 30,000 teachers from secondary, special needs, and vocational institutions across Kenya will undergo mandatory refresher training from Monday, December 1 to Friday, December 19, 2025. The exercise, spearheaded by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), is a critical step in preparing for the transition of an estimated 1.1 million Grade 9 learners to Grade 10 in January 2026, marking the final implementation phase of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), now referred to as Competency-Based Education (CBE).

The training program targets educators from 9,626 institutions and is designed to cover all 55 learning areas within the three specialized pathways of the Senior School framework: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM); Social Sciences; and Arts and Sports Science. This initiative aims to equip the educators with the necessary skills and knowledge to effectively deliver the new curriculum, which emphasizes practical skills, creativity, and critical thinking over rote memorization.

In a circular issued to educators, TSC Director for Teacher Professional Management, Dr. Reuben Nthamburi, confirmed the schedule, stating, “TSC has planned the retooling of senior school teachers in Competency-Based Education (CBE) with effect from December 1 to December 19, 2025.” The training will be conducted face-to-face in selected venues across all counties using a smart cascade model. This model involves training a national team of Master Trainers, who will then train County-level Trainers of Trainers (ToTs), who in turn will retool the teachers in their respective regions.

Multi-Agency Collaboration and Training Structure

The comprehensive training is a multi-agency effort involving key education sector bodies. Experts from the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD), the Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC), the Centre for Mathematics, Science and Technology Education in Africa (CEMASTEA), the Ministry of Education, the Kenya Institute of Special Needs (KISE), and various Teachers Training Colleges will support the sessions to ensure a standardized and high-quality program. The training for Master Trainers is scheduled to take place from December 1 to 3, 2025, at KISE, followed by the training of ToTs from December 8 to 12, and the final teacher retooling from December 15 to 19.

According to the TSC, this December session targets the remaining 10 percent of teachers who have not yet undergone CBE training, supplementing the over 300,000 who have already been trained in previous phases. The program will be residential for educators in Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASAL) regions and for Special Needs Education (SNE) teachers, who will be grouped based on their areas of specialization, such as hearing or visual impairment.

Curriculum Focus and National Significance

The shift to CBE in Senior School, based on recommendations from the Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms (PWPER), requires learners to take seven subjects. Four of these are compulsory: English, Kiswahili, Core Mathematics/Essential Mathematics, and Community Service Learning. The remaining three subjects are chosen from the diverse range of optional subjects offered within the three pathways, including options like Biology, Agriculture, Computer Studies, Business Studies, Music, Theatre and Film, and various technical subjects like Building Construction and Power Mechanics.

This training is a cornerstone of the government's strategy to address infrastructure and staffing challenges ahead of the 2026 transition. TSC Chairperson Jamleck Muturi emphasized the importance of continuous professional development, stating that the transformation in education requires teachers who are “not only skilled but also ethical, innovative, and adaptable to change.” The rollout of Teacher Professional Development (TPD) has been a mandatory policy, though it initially faced opposition from teachers' unions regarding who should bear the cost. While the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) and the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) have historically had differing stances on CBC implementation, both now largely support the curriculum reform, urging for its successful rollout.

The successful retooling of these 30,000 educators is pivotal for the seamless progression of the pioneer CBC cohort into Senior School and the overall success of Kenya's ambitious education reforms. It represents a significant national investment in aligning the teaching workforce with the demands of a 21st-century skills-based education system.