National Schools to Provide All CBC Career Pathways Beginning 2026
In a significant reform of Kenya’s education framework, all national schools will be mandated to adopt all three senior school career pathways commencing January 2026, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has declared. This signifies a considerable change in the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) implementation as the government seeks to foster inclusivity, diversity, and preparedness for the job market among students.
The three pathways—Social Sciences, Arts and Sports, and Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)—will be compulsory for all national schools. This action forms part of a wider shift intended to utilize the infrastructure, staffing, and academic prowess of national institutions.
While addressing the National Schools Conference in Mombasa, CS Ogamba confirmed that the classification of schools into national, extra-county, county, and sub-county will be eliminated in 2026. Rather, institutions will be classified as either “triple pathway” or “double pathway” depending on their ability to deliver the CBC.
“We have already formulated guidelines for the transition to Grade 10 in January 2026. Dismantling the current school categorization is crucial to ensure fair access to all pathways,” Ogamba remarked. “We are encouraging schools with the appropriate infrastructure and personnel to adopt the triple pathway designation. ”
Ogamba assured stakeholders that the government will enhance infrastructure in selected schools to facilitate the new structure, including amenities for arts and sports that have historically been lacking.
In support of the policy, Teachers Service Commission (TSC) CEO Nancy Macharia called on national schools to spearhead this transformative change. “With your superior facilities, you are ideally situated to provide all three pathways that characterize the CBC,” she stated.
Macharia, who is preparing for her retirement in two months, disclosed that the commission has already retrained over 450,000 teachers to manage CBC content. This includes:
229,292 primary school teachers
75,000 junior secondary school teachers
154,292 secondary school teachers
This training, conducted via a multi-agency and cascade model, was carried out in partnership with the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD), the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC), and other collaborators.
“As I near my final days at the TSC, I am proud to leave a well-trained teaching workforce and established systems to manage the education sector effectively,” Macharia expressed.
She also emphasized the successful negotiation and execution of two major Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs), which she indicated have fostered stability in the education sector.
Simultaneously, the Ministry of Education will organize a National Conversation on Competency-Based Education (CBE) at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) in Nairobi. The gathering is anticipated to unite education specialists, government representatives, parents, and learners to evaluate CBC implementation and shape the subsequent phase of reform.
The triple pathway implementation is set to revolutionize Kenya’s educational landscape, establishing a more skills-oriented and learner-focused system that meets the requirements of the 21st-century workforce.
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National Schools to Provide All CBC Career Pathways Commencing 2026