National Schools to Offer All CBC Career Pathways Starting 2026
In a major overhaul of Kenya’s education system, all national schools will be required to implement all three senior school career pathways starting January 2026, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has announced. This marks a significant shift in the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) rollout as the government aims to enhance inclusivity, diversity, and readiness for the job market among learners.
The three pathways—Social Sciences, Arts and Sports, and Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)—will be mandatory for all national schools. The move is part of a broader transition aimed at leveraging the infrastructure, staffing, and academic strength of national institutions.
Speaking during the National Schools Conference in Mombasa, CS Ogamba confirmed that the categorisation of schools into national, extra-county, county, and sub-county will be abolished in 2026. Instead, institutions will be designated as either “triple pathway” or “double pathway” based on their capacity to deliver the CBC.
“We have already developed guidelines for the transition to Grade 10 in January 2026. Abolishing the existing school categorisation is essential to ensure equitable access to all pathways,” Ogamba stated. “We are urging schools with the necessary infrastructure and staffing to adopt the triple pathway classification.”
Ogamba assured stakeholders that the government will expand infrastructure in targeted schools to support the new arrangement, including facilities for arts and sports which have traditionally been underdeveloped.
Backing the policy, Teachers Service Commission (TSC) CEO Nancy Macharia urged national schools to lead the charge in this transformative shift. “With your superior facilities, you are well placed to offer all three pathways that define the CBC,” she said.
Macharia, who is preparing for retirement in two months, revealed that the commission has already retooled over 450,000 teachers to handle CBC content. These include:
- 229,292 primary school teachers
- 75,000 junior secondary school teachers
- 154,292 secondary school teachers
This training, done through a multi-agency and cascade model, was conducted in collaboration with the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD), the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC), and other partners.
“As I approach my final days at the TSC, I am proud to leave behind a well-trained teaching workforce and established systems to manage the education sector effectively,” Macharia said.
She also highlighted the successful negotiation and implementation of two major Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs), which she said have contributed to stability in the education sector.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education will host a National Conversation on Competency-Based Education (CBE) at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) in Nairobi. The event is expected to bring together education experts, government officials, parents, and learners to reflect on CBC implementation and shape the next phase of reform.
The triple pathway rollout is poised to be a game-changer for Kenya’s education landscape, setting the stage for a more skills-oriented and learner-centered system that responds to the demands of the 21st-century workforce.
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National Schools to Offer All CBC Career Pathways Starting 2026