Nairobi Teaching Colleges Review Training Modules to Align With CBC

In response to the ongoing rollout of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), several teacher training colleges in Nairobi are revising their syllabi to better prepare future educators. During a recent national dialogue, the acting Deputy Vice Chancellor at Masinde Muliro University raised concerns that many colleges lacked tutors proficient in practical CBC subjects like woodwork or electrical engineering. He called for urgent curriculum reform to ensure that trainee teachers are ready for the new demands of the modern classroom.
The need for alignment is backed by policymakers and curriculum experts. The Ministry of Education’s 2023–2027 Strategic Plan highlights that tutors at teacher training colleges must be retooled to deliver a competence-based teacher education (CBTE) curriculum. At the same time, the Commission for University Education has issued guidelines urging universities and colleges to overhaul their teacher education programmes so that instruction, assessment and practicum reflect CBC principles.
Despite the push for reform, critics say implementation remains slow. A recent analysis in Education News argues that many colleges still rely on theoretical teaching methods and outdated content, leaving new teachers unprepared for hands-on, learner-centered CBC classrooms. Meanwhile, the Teachers Service Commission is seeking to retrain in-service teachers ahead of the 2026 senior school rollout — a move that underscores the need for both pre-service and in-service alignment.
Looking ahead, stakeholders hope the reforms at training colleges will accelerate in the coming months. Education officials plan to deepen partnerships with the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) and deploy more training of trainers programs to scale up capacity. If teacher-training colleges successfully reorient their content and pedagogy, they will play a critical role in supporting a smooth, effective implementation of CBC across Nairobi and beyond.