Kenyan universities adopt competency-based curricula developed in cooperation with Estonia
For decades, Kenyan teacher education used a subject-based model that limited transdisciplinary learning and overlooked student needs. With Estonian support, Kenya has now developed its first competency-based curricula to modernise teacher training.
As a result of a collaborative project between the Estonian Centre for International Development (ESTDEV) and Tallinn University, 11 Kenyan universities have adopted a model curriculum to transition to a competency-based approach in teacher education. The project was led by Embu University, ranked Kenya’s top university in 2024, and the African Deans of Education Forum, which includes deans from 43 universities.
At the project's final conference held at Embu University at the end of last week, trainers' manuals were handed over to representatives from local universities, which will help scale the project to all Kenyan universities.
"In cooperation with Estonian experts, Kenya is reforming its teacher education system. We are expanding our activities and bringing competency-based teacher education training to various Kenyan universities. In addition, we have created a community of practitioners who can lead the implementation of the new agenda in the universities," said Prof. Ciriaka Gitonga, the dean of the Institute of Educational Sciences at Embu University.
Katrin Poom-Valickis, a professor of Teacher Education at Tallinn University, said that the project is an important reminder of how far Estonia has come in teacher education and of the importance of the support of foreign experts in implementing educational reforms.
"After regaining independence, the Nordic countries supported Estonia. Now we have something to share, because the future of the new generation depends on teachers," said Poom-Valickis.
To strengthen teacher education in Kenya, an educational seminar was also organised in Nairobi this week, attended by high-level Estonian and Kenyan education delegations, including the Principal Secretaries from the Kenyan Ministry of Education, Julius Bitok and Beatrice Muganda Inyangala. The discussions focused on the activities needed to increase teachers' professionalism, the transition to competency-based curriculum development and the development of teacher support systems.
Triin Laasi-Õige, the Secretary General of the Estonian Ministry of Education and Research, opened the seminar, saying, “Kenya’s decision to shift to competency-based curriculum development creates stronger opportunities for learners to tackle real-life challenges. This transformation also raises new expectations for teacher education. Estonia has already navigated this transition, putting modern competency-based approaches into practice and we are honoured to share these lessons with our Kenyan colleagues.”
There are over 450,000 teachers in Kenya, and this number is constantly growing. The national institutions responsible for teachers’ professional development have sought cooperation with Estonia to develop modern teaching methodologies.
Kristi Kulu, ESTDEV's programme manager for Education, confirms that education is not changed by technology, but by teachers.
"When we invest in teachers, we invest in every student, and when we invest in students, we invest in the future. Estonia's experience in implementing competency-based learning and promoting teacher education is an added value in implementing Kenya's education reform and is certainly a sign of trust in the quality of Estonian education," Kulu said.
The joint project between ESTDEV, Tallinn University and Embu University is a good example of international development cooperation, in which Estonia exports its educational experience to Kenya and, in collaboration with local partners, implements real reforms in teacher education.
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