Stakeholders in the education sector have called on the government to provide adequate resources and political goodwill, to ensure the smooth implementation of Competency-Based Education (CBE), with universities expected to admit the first cohort of CBE learners in 2029.
The Government has embarked on major education reforms, including the introduction of Competency-Based Education and Training (CBET) and the restructuring of higher education financing, aimed at streamlining and transforming the education sector.
Bright International Academy Principal, Dan Odongo, commended the sweeping changes in the education sector but called for political goodwill, to ensure the reforms proposed by the Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms are fully implemented.
“What we have on paper is very good. We need to talk to our leaders to embrace it because, if systems can work in other countries, like now we follow the British national curriculum, what makes it tick? It’s about accountability,” said Odongo.
He added that successful implementation of the reforms would require the government to direct resources to the right areas, remain accountable and prioritise the interests of the younger generation.
“It’s about putting resources where they’re supposed to be. It’s about being forthright and, of course, paying allegiance to the betterment of our younger generation,” he said.
The Principal said Kenya has sound education blueprints but urged the government to allocate adequate resources to the sector while taking decisive measures to curb pilferage and corruption.
“I believe Kenya stands on the cusp of greater development and educational achievement,” he stated.
Odongo spoke at the school during celebrations to honour the first cohort of 14 outstanding students who excelled in the 2026 iPrimary Pearson Edexcel Assessment.
The students sat examinations in Mathematics, Science and English, recording 42 sittings and achieving a 100 per cent pass rate. They will now proceed to iLower Secondary under the United Kingdom education system.
“In the Pearson exam, the highest grade is P3. We have an avalanche of students here who scored P3. We may call you back because Pearson also celebrates who is top in the world and who is top in Africa and all that,” said the jubilant Principal.
The School’s Director, Halima Noor, said the examination was the first since the institution began operations six years ago, adding that the school was keen to leverage the international curriculum to prepare learners for both the local and global job markets.
She lauded the government’s efforts to implement CBE, saying the new system would enhance critical thinking and move learners away from rote memorisation associated with the former 8-4-4 system.
“It’s not teacher-led; it’s trying to get the child to think creatively and to be more of a critical thinker, which is actually where the world is heading at the moment. Bright International Academy is an integrated school; we are integrating it with the Islamic curriculum,” said Noor.
Noor also welcomed the government’s plan to remunerate Madrassa and Sunday school teachers, saying they have long been undervalued despite playing a pivotal role in the moral development of children.
“Their role is no less than any other teacher. They have to be valued as well, and of course they have to be well looked after,” she said.
Farha Hisham, a student who scored P3, attributed her success to hard work and the dedication of her teachers in guiding her through revision.
“I felt like the exams were pretty easy compared to how much work I did, revision and all that with the school. My favourite subject is science. The reason why I chose science is that one of the main jobs in science is zoology, and I prefer being around animals and nature,” she said.
Kulthum Ali, a parent, praised the teachers for their dedication, saying their commitment had contributed significantly to the impressive results.
“I have seen how dedicated the teachers were. From my child being two years old to now, seeing how he learned to read, to write, and to excel both Islamically and academically, it is mind-blowing,” said Ali.
By Sadik Hassan
