CBC
Competency Based Curriculum
Kenya's Competency-Based Curriculum
Senior Secondary (Grades 10-12) Starts 2025
Celebra is designed from the ground up to support Kenya's new 2-6-3-3-3 education system. Our platform provides comprehensive tools for formative assessment, digital portfolios, and pathway management aligned with KICD and KNEC standards.
1. What is the CBC Grading System?
The Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) is Kenya's reformed education system that replaced the 8-4-4 system. Developed by the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD), CBC focuses on developing practical skills and competencies rather than rote memorization.
The new 2-6-3-3-3 structure includes 2 years of Pre-Primary, 6 years of Primary, 3 years of Junior Secondary, 3 years of Senior Secondary, and 3+ years of Tertiary education.
Senior Secondary (Grades 10, 11, 12) officially began in January 2025, marking a historic milestone in Kenya's education transformation.
3Key Components of CBC Assessment
CBC Implementation Timeline
The 7 Core Competencies
These competencies are system-derived from subject assessments, not manually selected by teachers. The system aggregates evidence over Grades 10-12 to produce a final profile.
Communication & Collaboration
Critical Thinking & Problem Solving
Imagination & Creativity
Citizenship
Digital Literacy
Learning to Learn
Self-Efficacy
How Core Competencies Develop Through Senior Secondary
Core competencies are not selected by teachers - they are derived by the system from subject competency assessments. The final profile is only produced at Grade 12.
Grade 10
Emerging ProfileGrade 11
Developing ProfileGrade 12
Final ProfileHow Celebra Aggregates Core Competencies
Teachers Record
Subject competency assessments with evidence
System Derives
Core competency signals from subject mappings
AI Aggregates
Weighs recency, consistency, and national data
Final Profile
Complete 7 core competency levels at Grade 12
Why This Matters
Unlike manual entry systems, Celebra's AI-driven approach ensures that core competency profiles are objective, consistent, and based on years of accumulated evidence. This produces meaningful, defensible profiles that accurately reflect each learner's development.
2. CBC Grading Scale (Performance Levels)
The Competency-Based Curriculum uses a 7-level grading system that focuses on competency achievement rather than traditional percentage scores.
Learner demonstrates exceptional mastery and applies knowledge in new situations
Learner performs tasks with minimal guidance and shows deep understanding
Learner meets the expected level of competency independently
Learner shows progress but requires some support to meet expectations
Learner is beginning to grasp concepts but needs significant support
Learner shows minimal understanding; requires close guidance
Learner has major difficulties understanding and applying concepts
How Celebra Supports CBC Grading
Celebra automatically tracks student performance across all subjects and competencies, providing real-time level assessments aligned with the CBC grading system. Teachers can easily record formative assessments and generate comprehensive progress reports for parents.
Choose Your Pathway
In Senior Secondary, students choose one of three pathways based on their interests and career aspirations.
STEM
Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics
Key Subjects
Career Options
Arts & Sports
Arts and Sports Science
Key Subjects
Career Options
Social Sciences
Social Sciences
Key Subjects
Career Options
How Pathway Choice Works
The pathway selection process is a guided journey that considers a learner's interests, aptitudes, and career aspirations. Here's how it works in Kenya's CBC system.
When Does Pathway Selection Happen?
Exploration Phase
Learners explore all subject areas and discover their interests through a broad curriculum. Teachers observe aptitudes.
Aptitude Assessment
KNEC administers Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) to help identify learner strengths and preferences.
Pathway Selection
Learners, guided by parents and teachers, officially choose their pathway (STEM, Arts & Sports, or Social Sciences).
Specialization
Learners focus on their chosen pathway while maintaining core subjects. Switching pathways may be possible in Grade 10.
Factors Considered in Pathway Selection
Learner's Interest & Passion
What subjects does the learner enjoy? What activities excite them?
Academic Performance
Performance in related subjects during Junior Secondary (Grades 7-9).
KPSEA Assessment Results
Aptitude tests that reveal natural strengths and competencies.
Career Aspirations
What does the learner want to become? Which pathway leads there?
Parental & Teacher Guidance
Input from parents, career counselors, and teachers who know the learner.
What Each Pathway Includes
Core Subjects (All Pathways)
Regardless of pathway, all learners study:
STEM Pathway
3-4 sciences + 1 technical subject (Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Computer Science, etc.)
Arts & Sports Pathway
2+ arts/sports subjects (Visual Arts, Music, Theatre, Sports Science, etc.)
Social Sciences Pathway
2+ humanities/business subjects (History, Geography, Business, Law, etc.)
Can You Switch Pathways?
During Grade 10: Yes, switching is possible if the learner realizes their initial choice doesn't align with their strengths or interests. Schools may allow a switch after Term 1, subject to availability and teacher recommendation.
Grade 11 & 12: Switching becomes difficult as learners are already specialized. The curriculum builds progressively, making late switches challenging. It's recommended to stay committed to the chosen pathway.
💡 Tip: Celebra helps learners make informed pathway decisions with aptitude analysis, interest mapping, and career guidance tools — reducing the need to switch later.
4. How Teachers Record and Report CBC Grades
Our platform is purpose-built for Kenya's CBC, providing schools with all the tools they need for successful implementation.
Formative Assessment Tools
Track the 70% formative assessment component with continuous evaluation tools, rubrics, and progress monitoring.
Digital Portfolio Management
Students build comprehensive digital portfolios showcasing projects, achievements, and competency development.
7 Core Competencies Tracking
Monitor student progress across all seven CBC core competencies with detailed analytics and reports.
Pathway Selection Support
Help students choose the right pathway (STEM, Arts, Social Sciences) with aptitude analysis and career guidance.
KICD Curriculum Alignment
All content aligned with Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development standards and learning outcomes.
KNEC Assessment Ready
Prepare students for Kenya National Examinations Council assessments with practice tests and analytics.
5. Benefits of the CBC Grading System
The CBC grading system offers numerous advantages over traditional marking systems.
Holistic Development
Promotes holistic development beyond academics.
Learner-Centered
Encourages learner-centered education focused on strengths.
Teacher-Parent Collaboration
Enhances teacher-parent collaboration through progress reports.
Data-Driven Insights
Provides data-driven insights for individual learner improvement.
CBC Grading Example
Here's how the CBC grading system works in practice for a Grade 6 Mathematics topic on "Fractions":
The CBC grading system in Kenya represents a positive shift toward holistic, skills-based learning. It values understanding, creativity, and practical application over memorization.
CBC Assessment Tools Used by Teachers
Under the CBC framework, teachers use both qualitative and quantitative assessment tools to evaluate learners.
Observation Checklists
Used to record how well learners perform specific tasks or behaviors during activities. For example, a science teacher may note how confidently a learner conducts an experiment.
Rating Scales
These use numerical levels (1–7) to show the degree to which learners meet expectations in each competency area.
Rubrics
Provide detailed descriptions of performance criteria for a task, helping teachers assess consistency, creativity, and mastery.
Learner Portfolios
Portfolios compile the student's work, including projects, assignments, and reflections — forming an evidence-based record of learning progress.
Peer and Self-Assessment
Encourages learners to reflect on their progress and assess peers constructively, promoting collaboration and ownership of learning.
CBC Reporting and Progress Reports
Reporting in the CBC system focuses on narrative feedback rather than marks or grades.
Descriptive Feedback Examples:
"Learner shows great creativity in storytelling and needs to work on grammar."
"Learner confidently applies mathematical concepts to practical situations."
Digital Reporting Made Easy
Modern Teacher Dashboard Software like Celebra simplifies reporting by allowing teachers to:
- Enter learner performance data by competency
- Generate auto-graded progress reports
- Export PDF summaries for parents
- View performance analytics for each term
CBC vs 8-4-4 Grading System
Understanding the key differences between the new CBC system and the traditional 8-4-4 system.
CBC emphasizes learner growth, innovation, and real-life application, while 8-4-4 relied on memorization and competition.
Challenges in Implementing CBC Grading
While CBC is a major improvement, schools still face challenges such as:
Lack of adequate training for teachers
Limited access to digital grading tools
Time-consuming manual assessment and report writing
Inconsistent understanding of grading standards across schools
The Solution: Adopting digital CBC grading systems like Celebra that standardize assessments and reduce workload.
CBC Grading Software
A CBC Grading System Software automates and digitizes the entire grading process — from data entry to report generation.
Learner performance tracking (1–7 scale)
Automatic generation of termly reports
Bulk class data upload from Excel
Parent portal for viewing results
Integration with school fees and attendance systems
Cloud backup and instant report printing
Such a system ensures accuracy, consistency, and time savings for teachers.
Future of CBC Grading in Kenya
With Kenya's continued education reforms, CBC grading will evolve with more data-driven insights and AI-powered tools.
Integration with Ministry of Education portals
Online report verification systems
AI-assisted learning progress predictions
Seamless mobile access for parents and teachers
Schools embracing digital CBC platforms today are positioning themselves for the future of smart education management.
Embracing Kenya's Education Transformation
The CBC grading system in Kenya represents a bold shift toward a more inclusive, practical, and skill-oriented education model. It focuses on nurturing every learner's strengths, creativity, and confidence.
By pairing CBC with innovative Teacher Dashboard Software like Celebra, schools can streamline grading, reduce paperwork, and enhance communication among teachers, parents, and learners.
Ready to Transform Your School for CBC?
Join hundreds of Kenyan schools already using Celebra to implement the Competency-Based Curriculum effectively.