Education expert Otieno Agolla on Spice FM on August 25, 2026. [ScreenGrab]
Kenya's Competency-Based Education (CBE) system risks being undermined by deep inequalities in schools, weak foundational learning and poor teacher preparation, education expert Otieno Agolla has warned.
Speaking on Spice FM on Tuesday, Agolla said CBE remains a sound model because it seeks to equip learners with practical competencies rather than prepare them merely to pass examinations.
However, he argued that poor implementation is creating new inequalities while failing to fix weaknesses inherited from the old system.
"The Kenyan education system is really unequal and unjust," said Agolla, adding that a child's background or school should not determine their educational outcomes.
He cited data showing that 41 pc of learners in Grade Seven are not acquiring expected literacy and numeracy competencies, while 29 pc of those transiting from Grade Nine to Grade 10 lack the necessary skills.
Agolla traced the problem to Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE), where inadequate investment and inconsistent standards create weaknesses that follow learners through the system.