Learning What Matters in Kenya: Exploring the Shift from the 8-4-4 System to Competency Based Education is a country study by the Network for Education Systems Transformation (NEST), a global impact network co-led by the Center for Universal Education at the Brookings Institution and ten civil society organizations across Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, and South Asia. NEST seeks to understand how education systems can transform to prioritize a broad range of academic, socioemotional, and transversal skills that enable children and young people to thrive.

The Kenya study examines the implementation of the Competency-Based Curriculum and the extent to which the education system is creating meaningful opportunities for primary school learners to develop essential skills. The research draws on experiences from three counties and uses the 4P framework of Purpose, Pedagogy, Positioning, and Power, alongside the 3C framework of Capacity, Commitment, and Cohesion, to explore the conditions shaping education system transformation.

The findings highlight gaps in teacher preparation, learning resources, digital access, infrastructure, parental engagement, and coordination across the education system. The report proposes stronger continuous professional development, improved collaboration among education stakeholders, greater parent and community engagement, and more equitable access to learning resources.

The report contributes to the growing body of evidence on Kenya’s education transformation and offers insights into how the country can move from policy intent to meaningful classroom practice while ensuring that all learners have opportunities to develop the breadth of skills they need to thrive.