From Compliance to Curiosity: How Kenya’s Shift to CBE can Redefine Learning

What if Kenyan classrooms became spaces where children did not just memorize facts, but lit up with curiosity, asked bold questions, and chased knowledge because they wanted to, not because they had to?

This is the radical promise of intrinsic learning, an approach that values motivation from within over pressure from without. Education systems around the world are increasingly recognizing that learning is most powerful when it is self-driven. In Kenya, the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) marked a significant departure from traditional, exam-centered approaches by fostering intrinsic learning where students learn because they are curious, not just because they are being tested.

At the core of it, intrinsic learning is fueled by internal motivations, curiosity, interest, and a genuine desire to grow one’s knowledge. Unlike extrinsic learning, which is driven by rewards or punishments, intrinsic learning helps learners develop a deeper connection with material and a lifelong love for discovery.

So then, what is the difference between CBC and CBE? In Kenya, CBE (Competency-Based Education) has replaced CBC (Competency-Based Curriculum). CBE is a broader, more holistic approach that integrates curriculum, pedagogy, assessment, and infrastructure to foster skill acquisition and real-world application. CBC was primarily focused on the curriculum itself, whereas CBE encompasses a wider educational system. 

This shift from CBC to CBE signals a deeper commitment, not just to what learners are taught, but to how they are taught, supported, and assessed. It acknowledges that real learning happens when systems align to nurture each learner’s potential, not simply measure it. With CBE, our country is embracing an education model that values the learner as an active agent, capable, creative, and self-motivated.

But this transition also demands more from all of us as educators, policymakers, parents, and researchers. It requires us to listen more closely to learners, to trust their curiosity, and to design environments where questioning is encouraged and mistakes are seen as part of the learning journey. It calls for investment in teacher training, classroom resources, and inclusive infrastructure that supports every child, no matter their context.

At WERK, we see this as a profound opportunity to reimagine learning not just as a race to the top, but as a meaningful, personal journey. A journey where learners don’t just consume knowledge—they co-create it.

Because when curiosity leads, learning follows. And that is the future we believe in.