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.
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.
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.
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.
Subject competency assessments with evidence
Core competency signals from subject mappings
Weighs recency, consistency, and national data
Complete 7 core competency levels at Grade 12
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.
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
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.
In Senior Secondary, students choose one of three pathways based on their interests and career aspirations.
Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics
Arts and Sports Science
Social Sciences
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.
Learners explore all subject areas and discover their interests through a broad curriculum. Teachers observe aptitudes.
KNEC administers Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) to help identify learner strengths and preferences.
Learners, guided by parents and teachers, officially choose their pathway (STEM, Arts & Sports, or Social Sciences).
Learners focus on their chosen pathway while maintaining core subjects. Switching pathways may be possible in Grade 10.
What subjects does the learner enjoy? What activities excite them?
Performance in related subjects during Junior Secondary (Grades 7-9).
Aptitude tests that reveal natural strengths and competencies.
What does the learner want to become? Which pathway leads there?
Input from parents, career counselors, and teachers who know the learner.
Regardless of pathway, all learners study:
3-4 sciences + 1 technical subject (Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Computer Science, etc.)
2+ arts/sports subjects (Visual Arts, Music, Theatre, Sports Science, etc.)
2+ humanities/business subjects (History, Geography, Business, Law, etc.)
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.
Our platform is purpose-built for Kenya's CBC, providing schools with all the tools they need for successful implementation.
Track the 70% formative assessment component with continuous evaluation tools, rubrics, and progress monitoring.
Students build comprehensive digital portfolios showcasing projects, achievements, and competency development.
Monitor student progress across all seven CBC core competencies with detailed analytics and reports.
Help students choose the right pathway (STEM, Arts, Social Sciences) with aptitude analysis and career guidance.
All content aligned with Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development standards and learning outcomes.
Prepare students for Kenya National Examinations Council assessments with practice tests and analytics.
The CBC grading system offers numerous advantages over traditional marking systems.
Promotes holistic development beyond academics.
Encourages learner-centered education focused on strengths.
Enhances teacher-parent collaboration through progress reports.
Provides data-driven insights for individual learner improvement.
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.
Under the CBC framework, teachers use both qualitative and quantitative assessment tools to evaluate learners.
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.
These use numerical levels (1–7) to show the degree to which learners meet expectations in each competency area.
Provide detailed descriptions of performance criteria for a task, helping teachers assess consistency, creativity, and mastery.
Portfolios compile the student's work, including projects, assignments, and reflections — forming an evidence-based record of learning progress.
Encourages learners to reflect on their progress and assess peers constructively, promoting collaboration and ownership of learning.
Reporting in the CBC system focuses on narrative feedback rather than marks or grades.
"Learner shows great creativity in storytelling and needs to work on grammar."
"Learner confidently applies mathematical concepts to practical situations."
Modern Teacher Dashboard Software like Celebra simplifies reporting by allowing teachers to:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Join hundreds of Kenyan schools already using Celebra to implement the Competency-Based Curriculum effectively.