The transition to Grade 10 under Kenya’s Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) is a pivotal moment for learners, parents, and educators. This complex process, involving pathways like STEM, Arts and Sports Science, and Social Sciences, is driven by a mix of learner choice, academic merit, and psychometric tests designed to align individual strengths with future goals. However, navigating this selection process can be daunting. Common pain-points include anxiety over placement criteria, the pressure of balancing continuous assessments with the Kenya Junior Secondary Education Assessment (KJSEA), and the practical challenges of school capacity and financial constraints.
In a recent episode of Elimu Cafe, Mike Kipkorir, founder and CEO of Verb Education and creator of the widely used CBC App, offered valuable insights to help demystify this journey. The CBC App itself is a tool designed to streamline assessment, record-keeping, and reporting, thereby empowering teachers and parents with detailed data on a child’s specific strengths and areas for improvement. Mike’s discussion on the show highlighted how technology and thoughtful data analysis can support better learner placement. By tracking competencies and interests, technology can help ensure that placement aligns with a learner’s true potential, making the process less stressful and more optimistic for everyone involved. This is particularly relevant as the Ministry of Education employs an automated system for placement, making accurate data more critical than ever.
Verb Education is at the forefront of this digital transformation in education and has been recognized for its impact. The company is a proud member of the Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship Cohort 3, selected as one of 12 innovative Kenyan startups to receive equity-free funding, mentorship, and strategic support for scaling its solutions. This prestigious fellowship underscores Verb Education’s commitment to developing scalable, impactful solutions that expand learning opportunities and support competency-based teaching across Kenya.
For learners approaching Grade 10, Mike’s advice is to focus on building a clear profile of their interests and competencies. For parents and educators, the recommendation is to leverage available tools and data to engage with the transition process proactively. This episode of Elimu Cafe, which explores all facets of a child’s development from 0-18 years, is an essential resource for anyone guiding young people through this critical phase.
