Multimedia University of Kenya (MMU) has kicked-start Competency-Based Education and Training (CBET) readiness sensitization training for all academic staff to align with the new education system.
In a speech read on her behalf by Deputy Vice Chancellor Academic Affairs, Research and Innovation, Prof Livingstone Ngoo, MMU Vice Chancellor Prof. Rosebella Maranga, emphasized that CBET do not only represent a curriculum change, but a strategic shift towards a more practical, skill-driven approach to teaching and learning.
“We gather here not just to fulfill a policy requirement, but to affirm our commitment to quality, relevance, and the future success of our graduates,” said Prof. Maranga.
CBET marks a transition from 8-4-4 that is viewed as exam-focused education model to learning that is outcome-based, experiential, and centered on mastery of real-world competencies.
Prof. Ngoo also noted that for the university to effectively adopt CBET, there must a change of mindset in order to come up with a curriculum that meets the demands of the new education system.
Director of Quality Assurance at Open University of Kenya Prof. Raphael Nyonje, who was also the lead facilitator, linked CBET to global education reforms and local policy shifts.
He referenced the Bologna Process in Europe, which restructured higher education around competencies and learning outcomes, while also outlining Kenya’s legal and policy framework supporting the CBET transition.
Prof. Nyonje reiterated that universities must urgently and seriously address the challenge of ‘Mismatch’ of skills between them and labour market saying that most sectors in current labour market have developed standards which outline competencies and skills expected from students.
“Universities must address skills mismatch between their training and labor market needs,” advised Prof. Nyonje adding that a 2018 Federation of Kenya Employers (FKE) survey, revealed that over half of Kenyan graduates are not job-ready, with most lacking the necessary technical and professional skills to perform effectively without additional training.
Prof. Ngoo urged academic staff to become champions of the new model by collectively redesigning programmes, adopting practical and learner-centered approaches, and collaborating closely with industry stakeholders.
“This transformation demands a collective effort—open minds, shared responsibility, and a vision for future-ready education,” said Prof. Ngoo.
The training is a two-day event which will end tomorrow and is facilitated by Prof. Raphael Nyonje President-Kenya University Quality Assurance Network, Dr. Laura Mamuli a senior lecturer at Open University of Kenya, Dr. Jean Claude Zigama lecturer of Education Technology Teachers’ Education and Associate Professor in Education – Curriculum Studies Prof. Rosemary Khitieyi Imonje.
By Nicanor Ndiege