Teacher learning for competency-based curriculum implementation: A multi-domain professional development approach in a new Kenyan girls’ school

Abstract

Kenya's Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) reform requires fundamental shifts in pedagogy, assessment, and teacher-student-community relationships, yet limited research examines how to support teachers through this transition. This case study explored teacher reflections following a targeted professional development intervention at Top of the Hill Girls Senior School, a newly established institution in Nyahururu, Kenya. The intervention consisted of four half-day training sessions addressing critical dimensions of CBC implementation: aligning subject theory with career skills, project-based and problem-based learning, communication skills development, and employer and community partnerships. All 18 teachers participated and provided written reflections immediately following each session. Reflections were analyzed using thematic analysis informed by teacher change theory, CBC implementation requirements, and the four training domains. Findings revealed four major themes. First, teachers conceptualized theory-career connections by identifying diverse career pathways, recognizing transferable workplace competencies, and proposing instructional strategies to support career-focused learning. Second, teachers demonstrated emerging understanding of project-based learning as a vehicle for authentic application, identifying community problems as project foundations and describing open-ended tasks designed to foster higher-order thinking. Third, teachers emphasized communication skill development across oral, written, and visual modes and identified assessment approaches such as rubrics and performance tasks. Fourth, teachers identified partnership opportunities across private, government, educational, and community sectors, including plans to engage female role models relevant to the girls' school context. The findings suggest that practical, focused professional development may support teachers' understanding of CBC implementation and encourage implementation planning while highlighting the need for ongoing support, peer collaboration, and school-level structures to sustain instructional change in newly established schools.

Keywords: Competency-based curriculum, teacher professional development, Kenya, curriculum implementation, girls' education.

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