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European Journal of Education Studies
ISSN: 2501 - 1111
ISSN-L: 2501 - 1111
Available online at: www.oapub.org/edu
Copyright © The Author(s). All Rights Reserved. 23
DOI: 10.46827/ejes.v10i7.4862
Volume 10 │ Issue 7 │ 2023
DESIGNING COMPETENCY BASED HIGHER
EDUCATION CURRICULUM: STRATEGIES AND ACTIONS
Anne Syomwene
i
PhD, Associate Professor in Curriculum Studies,
Moi University, School of Education,
P.O Box 3900-30100,
Eldoret, Kenya
Abstract:
Emerging educational trends globally and the changing needs of society and learners
dictate the need for regular curriculum reviews and development in higher education.
This is a concept paper on the curriculum design process for Competency Based Higher
Education. The drive to write this concept paper was induced by curriculum reforms in
Kenya in basic education levels with a focus on Competency Based Curriculum. The
paper draws examples from the experiences and expectations in Kenya. The author of
this paper is a specialist in Curriculum Studies and a senior faculty member in School of
Education in a public university in Kenya and wished to contribute to this area for quality
higher education. The paper discusses the need for Competency Based Higher Education
and the theoretical perspectives that inform the curriculum design process for
Competency Based Higher Education. The paper expounds on effective strategies and
actions in the curriculum design process for Competency Based Higher Education for
quality and relevance. The paper uses documentary analysis method in achieving the
purpose. The ideas advanced in this paper add on the available literature on Competency
Based Education and curriculum design activities. Universities and ministries of
education will find the paper useful in the curriculum design endeavours for higher
education and especially on curriculum design for Competency Based Higher Education.
Keywords: Competency Based Higher Education, Competency Based Curriculum,
curriculum design, quality, relevance, curriculum review and development
1. Introduction
With the explosion of knowledge, higher education programmes need frequent reviews
to keep pace with the needs of the society and the learners (World Bank, 2019; UNESCO,
2000). This is a concept paper on the curriculum design process for Competency Based
Higher Education (CBHE). The drive to write this concept paper was induced by
i
Correspondence: email syomwene234@gmail.com syomwenekisilu@mu.ac.ke
Anne Syomwene
DESIGNING COMPETENCY BASED HIGHER EDUCATION CURRICULUM: STRATEGIES AND ACTIONS
European Journal of Education Studies - Volume 10 │ Issue 7 │ 2023 24
curriculum reforms in Kenya at basic education levels with a focus on Competency Based
Curriculum (CBC). The author of this paper is a teacher educator in a public university
in Kenya and wished to contribute to this area for quality higher education. The paper
uses the documentary analysis method in achieving the purpose.
2. Curriculum Reforms in Kenya
Kenya has had various curriculum reforms since its independence in 1963. The Basic
Education Curriculum Framework (BECF) reforms in Kenya focus on Competency Based
Curriculum (CBC) and the implementation was done from the year 2018 in basic
education (KICD, 2019; Syomwene, 2022). The reforms in basic education replaced the
structure and principles of the 8:4:4 system of education enacted in 1985 which was
criticized for not providing flexible education pathways for identifying and nurturing the
talents and interests of learners early enough to prepare them for the world of work,
career progression and sustainable development (KICD, 2019).
As at 2023, the pioneer class of CBC in Kenya is at Junior secondary school (three
years level) which means that the beneficiaries of the curriculum are expected at the
university from the year 2029 onwards after the Senior secondary school level (three years
level). To adequately prepare teachers for Junior and Senior secondary education, teacher
education departments in Higher Education in Kenya are compelled to review their
programmes for quality and relevance. As Syomwene (2018) opines, a central resource in
quality curriculum implementation is the availability of adequately trained teachers.
Teachers teaching in both Junior and Senior secondary education in Kenya have to be
competent on CBC for quality education in basic education levels and beyond. Being a
teacher educator in a university in Kenya, I wish to mention that curriculum review for
teacher education programmes in many universities in Kenya for Competency Based
Higher Education (CBHE) is underway and hence the significance of this paper.
Instructors in higher education have the task to design the programmes and
courses they offer in various departments. The implication of the current curriculum
reforms in Kenya is that universities in Kenya are expected to revise their programmes
to align with CBC. In addition, departments are expected to develop new courses where
appropriate to cater to any new content areas in the CBC offered in basic education to
allow smooth transition of learners to the university. This paper shall add to the available
literature on curriculum design for CBHE Curriculum for Kenya and elsewhere.
This paper provides requisite knowledge on the expectations in curriculum design
for CBHE. One condition in the successful implementation of curriculum innovations is
the understanding of the change by the stakeholders (Carl, 2012; Syomwene, Nyandusi
& Yungungu, 2017). Manitoba Education, Citizenship and Youth (2006) opine that
changing practices require a deep understanding on the part of educators. According to
World Bank (2019), quality higher education needs to be flexible, creative, innovative,
developing and evolving to meet students’ and society’s needs. Instructors in higher
education in Kenya have to master the skills of aligning their programmes and courses
to the dictates of CBC and other emerging educational trends.
Anne Syomwene
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European Journal of Education Studies - Volume 10 │ Issue 7 │ 2023 25
3. Competency Based Higher Education
To this end, it is pertinent to define some key terms as used in this paper. A curriculum
is a programme of study. Syomwene, Nyandusi & Yungungu, (2017) define curriculum
design as the structure, pattern or organization of the curriculum. It’s the way the
elements of the curriculum are arranged and aligned to facilitate instruction. Higher
education refers to education offered in universities and other tertiary institutions.
According to the Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary, competence is the ability
to do something successfully or efficiently. Competence Based Curriculum (CBC) i s an
outcome-based curriculum that is centered on mastery of skills and application of
knowledge and skills to real life. In this paper, the terms Competency Based Curriculum
(CBC) and Competency Based Education (CBE) are treated synonymously.
This paper is centred on curriculum design for Competency Based Higher
Education. In this paper, the curriculum design process for Competency Based Higher
Education (CBHE) is conceptualized as an innovative and transformative way of
designing the higher education curriculum with a focus on the expected graduates’
expertise as reflected in the job market. The aim is to achieve a thorough preparation of
the graduates for the job market through mastery and application of knowledge and
skills. Effective CBHE curriculum is practical oriented, need centred and conforms to the
local and global expectations of university graduates in the job market. Kenya Vision 2030
aims to transform Kenya into a newly industrializing middle -income country and
providing a high quality of life to all its citizens by 2030 (RoK, 2008). This can be achieved
through success in training highly qualified graduates who perform well in the labor
market. World Bank (2019) opines that quality and relevance in Higher Education can be
achieved through innovative curricular and pedagogical practices as proposed in this
paper.
The employability of graduates is integral in the design of CBHE curriculum. Fry,
Ketteridge & Marshall (2009: 503) define employability as a set of achievements, skills,
understandings and personal attributes that make graduates more likely to gain
employment and be successful in their chosen occupations. With recent cases of
graduates’ unemployment in Kenya and other parts of the world, CBHE is a timely
endeavour in making the curriculum for higher education relevant and significant in
enhancing a country’s national and economic development. CBHE curriculum enhances
the achievement of the fifth objective of university education in Kenya on the promotion
of high standards and quality of teaching and research (RoK, 2016) and the fourth
Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) on quality education (UN, 2015). World Bank
(2019) observes that the demand for advanced cognitive skills, socio-behavioral skills,
and skill combinations associated with greater adaptability is rising in higher education.
Many employers in Sub-Saharan Africa, Kenya included have cited an inadequately
skilled labor force as a major constraint (World Bank, 2019). The quality curriculum
design process for CBHE as expounded in this paper is an indispensable endeavour both
locally and globally.
Anne Syomwene
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4. Theoretical Perspectives in Designing Competency Based Higher Education (CBHE)
Curriculum
Curriculum design process is a theory-based undertaking. In this section, is a discussion
of two theories that effectively inform curriculum design for CBHE.
4.1 Revised Blooms Taxonomy of Educational Objectives
Dynamics in 21st Century curriculum design endeavors can be effectively anchored under
the revised Blooms taxonomy. The revised Blooms taxonomy was advanced by a group
of educationists in the year 2001 in the publication ‘A taxonomy of learning, teaching and
assessing’ edited by Anderson, L. W and Krathwohl, D. R. In this book, the authors present
the cognitive development levels of the Blooms taxonomy, sequenced from simple to
complex with various verbs to explain them as opposed to nouns in the original version
of Blooms taxonomy dated 1956 as illustrated below:
a) Remember: Recognizing, Recalling,
b) Understand: Interpreting, Exemplifying, Classifying, Summarizing, Inferring,
Comparing, Explaining,
c) Apply: Executing, Implementing,
d) Analyze: Differentiating, Organizing, Attributing,
e) Evaluate: Checking, Critiquing,
f) Create: Generating, Planning, Producing.
In addition, the authors of the revised Blooms taxonomy propose a continuum
characterized by four knowledge levels to guide the curriculum design process: The four
knowledge levels are again sequenced from simple to complex and include:
a) Factual knowledge: The basic elements students must know to be acquainted with
a discipline or solve problems in it.
b) Conceptual knowledge: The interrelationships among the basic elements within
a larger structure that enable them to function together.
c) Procedural knowledge: How to do something, methods of inquiry, and criteria
for using skills, algorithms, techniques, and methods.
d) Metacognitive knowledge: Knowledge of cognition in general as well as
awareness and knowledge of one’s own cognition.
21st Century curriculum trends have put a demand on instructors in higher
education to design learner centered programmes and courses that can propel their
countries in the achievement of the 4th SDG on quality education (UN, 2015). The revised
Blooms taxonomy is an effective framework in this endeavor. Ordered from simple to
complex, the six levels of cognitive development and the verbs that explain them,
compounded by the four knowledge levels offer a standard guideline on curriculum
design process for higher education with a learner centered orientation.
In the curriculum design process, instructors can borrow heavily from the revised
Bloom’s taxonomy in the selection, statement and sequencing of expected learning
outcomes, content, teaching methods, learning activities, instructional resources, and
assessment methods.
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4.2 Tyler’s Model of Curriculum Development
Tyler’s model of curriculum development is a classical approach that has been widely
used globally in curriculum design ventures. The theory is discussed Tyler’s book, ‘Basic
principles of curriculum and instruction’ of 1949.
In this model, Tyler advances four fundamental questions which have to be
answered systematically in the curriculum development and design process and include:
a) What educational purposes should the school seek to attain?
b) What educational experiences can be provided that are likely to attain these
purposes?
c) How can these educational experiences be effectively organized?
d) How can we determine whether these purposes are being attained?
The four questions suggest a sequential four-step process in the curriculum
development process: statement of objectives, selection of learning experiences,
organization of learning experiences, and evaluation. According to Tyler, the first step is
stating the objectives and it is the most important as all the others emanate from and are
informed by this step. Tyler postulated three sources of curriculum objectives: the
learners, the society and suggestions from subject specialists. This involves an analysis of
the needs, interests and abilities of the learners for whom the curriculum is prepared as
well as the needs, aspirations and challenges in society (Syomwene & Kimengi, 2014).
According to Tyler, the curriculum objectives must be filtered through philosophical and
psychological screens to obtain significant and specific objectives. This is then followed
by the selection of learning experiences; organization of learning experiences and
evaluation in the curriculum design process.
Tyler’s model informs the curriculum design process in higher education in many
ways. First is the emphasis on objectives also known as expected learning outcomes in
the curriculum design process. Second, the step-by-step procedure outlined in this model
is an indication of the noteworthy elements and logistics in the curriculum development
and design process.
5. Curriculum Design Process for Competency Based Higher Education
The curriculum design process is primarily centred on appropriate selection, sequencing,
alignment and organization of the elements of the curriculum for quality instruction.
Elements of curriculum include expected learning outcomes (also known as objectives),
content, instructional methods, learning activities and assessment methods (Syomwene,
Nyandusi & Yungungu, 2017; Ornstein & Hunkins, 2018).
In Kenya, universities work independently in designing courses and programmes.
According to CUE (2014:46), an academic programme for university education, shall
facilitate a balanced learning process, ensuring that the students are able to acquire such
cognitive, affective and psychomotor skills as are consistent with the educational goals
and aspirations of Kenyans. I wish to mention that currently, the aspirations for Kenyans
are centred on CBC and thus the inspiration to write this paper.
Anne Syomwene
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In this section, I wish to narrow down to the strategies in the design of course
descriptions and course outlines by instructors in higher education. In Kenya, the
Commission for University Education (CUE) provides standards and guidelines on how
instructors should perform these noble roles (CUE, 2014). For an effective CBHE
curriculum, this paper proposes some strategies that can enhance the process for quality
purposes in Higher Education.
A course is a unit of study in a programme (CUE, 2014). In most cases, a course
description and a course outline are treated synonymously. However, this paper points
out at a slight distinction between the two. A course description is a write-up with
information about a course in a particular programme. It specifies the What? the Why;
and the How? about the course. This includes the course code and title, the course
purpose, expected learning outcomes; course content; mode of delivery; instructional
methods; instructional materials; assessment methods and reading list (CUE, 2014).
On the other hand, a course outline is derived from the course description and has
similar components but it details the content of the course and specifies the specific times
in the semester when the topics shall be covered. The course outline is shared with the
students during the first week of the semester for information about the course
expectations.
In this section, the requirements of a course description and/or course outline in
the curriculum design for higher education are discussed following the principles of CBE.
The parts of a course description and/or course outline are explained :
A. Course Code and Title
Every course is named by a course code and title stated in a brief and clear statement that
is descriptive of the content of the course (CUE, 2014). The courses in a programme must
be related to the programme purpose, programme learning outcomes and philosophy.
B. Course Purpose
This is the general aim of the course. It is stated preferably in one sentence and should be
derived from the course title.
C. Expected Learning Outcomes
These are the specific behavioral changes expected in the learners after undertaking the
course. In CBE, the term ‘expected learning outcomes’ has replaced the older terminology
of ‘objectives’. Expected learning outcomes emanate from the course purpose. They
specify the skills or competencies that should be developed in the learners (UNESCO,
2000). For CBHE curriculum, the expected learning outcomes should be specific of the
expected competences in the learners. The emphasis should be on what the learner
should be able to do not know. The expected learning outcomes should be learner
centered, concisely and precisely articulated (CUE, 2014). They should be sequenced
from simple to complex based on the cognitive levels in the revis ed Bloom’s taxonomy.
In addition, they should be stated in action verbs and should be Specific, Measurable,
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Achievable, Realistic and Time Bound (SMART) (Syomwene, Nyandusi & Yungungu,
2017).
D. Course Content
This is the subject matter to be covered in the course. It includes clearly stated topics and
sub-topics that are relevant and drawn from the expected learning outcomes. The course
content should be sequenced in meaningful ways: spiral arrangement, from simple to
complex, from concrete to abstract, from known to the unknown, logical sequencing
(Syomwene, Nyandusi & Yungungu, 2017; UNESCO, 2000). In addition, the course
content should be sufficient for the duration of the course such as a semester (CUE, 2014).
It should not be too broad or too narrow considering the time given in the programme
for course coverage.
E. Instructional Methods
These are the procedures of content delivery. They should be aligned to the expected
learning outcomes. CBHE curriculum demands a shift from teacher centred to learner
centered instructional methods. These are interactive approaches that provide the
learners with the opportunities to experience and practice the behaviour stated in the
expected learning outcomes. This happens when learners are permitted to: do something,
communicate, think, reflect, collaborate, solve problems, be creative, be critical, apply
knowledge and skills to real life, and assess situations among others. World Bank (2019)
advices higher education institutions in Kenya on the need to move away from traditional
teaching methods and make teaching and learning more interactive, collaborative, and
experiential for quality education. Some effective instructional methods in higher
education in the 21st Century include interactive lectures, e xperiential learning,
discussion method, case method, problem-based learning, enquiry-based learning,
research-based learning and project writing.
F. Instructional Resources
These are the instructional tools that aid learning. For effectiveness, in CBHE curriculum,
they should contribute to the achievement of the expected learning outcomes, be
appropriate and relevant. A variety of instructional materials make learning interesting.
G. Assessment Methods
Education assessment is the process of determining the extent to which learners have
acquired specified knowledge, skills, values, attitudes, abilities and competencies.
Assessment methods are strategies of finding out if the expected learning outcomes have
been achieved. CBHE demands continuous assessment from the beginning to the end of
the course. Instructors should incorporate both formative assessment (continuous
assessment tests and tasks) and summative assessment (end of semester exams) in their
curriculum designs. The weighting of each assessment method should be specified
(UNESCO, 2000). Fry, Ketteridge & Marshall (2009) opine that facilitating students to
achieve learning outcomes means setting assessment tasks that support learning. World
Anne Syomwene
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Bank (2019) supports the use of competency-based assessment in higher education to
enhance students’ acquisition of 21st-century skills. It says that universities need to
implement assessment strategies different from the ranking and classifying practices that
are commonly applied. The CBC for Kenya recognizes the importance of assessment,
both as a tool of learning and as a means of establishing the extent to which the desired
learning outcomes have been developed (KICD, 2019).
In recent times, there is an emphasis on a variety of assessment methods in CBC
for Kenya.
First, is assessment for learning (formative assessment). This is carried out during
the learning process to provide immediate feedback to both the learner and the teacher
(KICD, 2019). It occurs throughout the learning process. With competency-based
assessment in higher education, the emphasis is more on formative assessment as
opposed to summative assessment (World Bank, 2019).
Second, is assessment of learning (summative assessment). Summative assessments
are used to evaluate students’ learning, skill acquisition, and academic achievement at
the conclusion of a defined instructional period (KICD, 2019). They are used to gauge the
achievement of expected learning outcomes. CBC for Kenya advocates a balance between
formative and summative assessment (KICD, 2019).
The third, assessment method is assessment as learning. Assessment as learning
occurs when students monitor their own learning and use the feedback from this
monitoring to make adjustments, adaptations, and even major changes in what they
understand (Manitoba Education, Citizenship & Youth, 2006). The emphasis and focus
in CBC for Kenya is to foster learners’ skills of self-assessment such as self-monitoring,
and self-correction, self-reflection to promote self-awareness of strengths and weaknesses
in their learning (KICD, 2019). Assessment as learning focuses on students and
emphasizes assessment as a process of metacognition (knowledge of one’s own thought
processes) for students (Manitoba Education, Citizenship & Youth, 2006).
H. Reading List
A course description or outline has to include the reading list. This includes the core texts
recommended for the course, other supplementary texts and journals. CBHE curriculum
demands that the reading lists should be related to the content of the course, current and
appropriate for the achievement of the expected learning outcomes (UNESCO, 2000). In
addition, it is important for curriculum designers in HE to use materials authored both
locally and internationally; and both hard copy texts and e-resource publications.
5.1 Constructive Alignment in Curriculum Design Process
In the curriculum design process in higher education, constructive alignment is
emphasized. Constructive alignment implies the compatibility of the expected learning
outcomes to the content, learning activities, instructional methods, resources, assessment
methods and reading lists (Fry, Ketteridge & Marshall, 2009). World Bank (2019) notes
that instructors in higher education require skills in designing teaching and learning
experiences and especially on aligning expected learning outcomes, activities, and
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assessments. This calls for frequent refresher courses for instructors on the curriculum
design process for CBHE and thus the significance of this concept paper.
5.2 Recommended Characteristics for Competency Based Higher Education
Curriculum
This paper recommends some basic characteristics of CBHE curriculum. The examples in
this section are drawn from Kenya:
• Integration of 21st Century Skills
For effective design of CBHE, integration of 21st Century skills is a prerequisite. Great
Schools Partnership (2020) define 21st Century Skills as comprising a broad set of
knowledge, skills, work habits, and character traits that are believed by educators, school
reformers, college professors, employers, and others to be critically important to success
in today’s world.
Twenty-first century skills comprise four main knowledge domains:
a) Ways of thinking (creativity, critical thinking, innovation, problem solving,
decision making, learning to learn)
b) Ways of working (communication, collaboration);
c) Tools for working (Information, Communication and Technology (ICT),
information literacy;
d) Living in the world (Life and career skills, citizenship, personal and social
responsibility) (Chu et al, 2017; Erdem, 2019; Great Schools Partnership, 2020).
No matter how these skills are termed or grouped, they all have to do with dealing
with the complex world we are living in (Erdem, Hakkı & Mehmet, (2019). In addition,
these skills are not necessarily new. They have been in existence all along, but are being
emphasized more in the 21st Century. CBHE curriculum has to integrate the 21st Century
skills for quality education and relevance. Assuring and achieving quality in higher
education is the primary responsibility of higher education providers and their staff
(World Bank, 2019).
For Kenya, integration of the seven core competences identified in basic education
for CBC is paramount for CBHE. The vision of the Basic Education Curriculum
Framework (BECF) in Kenya is to “enable every Kenyan to become an engaged, empowered and
ethical citizen’ and the vision is ‘nurturing every learner’s potential’” (KICD, 2019). To achieve
this vision and mission for CBC, seven core competencies are identified: communication
and collaboration; self-efficacy; critical thinking and problem solving; creativity and
imagination; citizenship; digital literacy; and learning to learn (KICD, 2019: 21). The seven
competences emanate from the 21st Century skills discussed previously in this paper. In
the curriculum design process in higher education in Kenya, instructors have to integrate
the seven core competences in the various components of programmes and courses for
learners’ smooth transition from the basic education level to the university.
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• Technology Integration
Of importance in CBHE, is technology integration in course design and implementation.
Technology is reshaping the demand for skills (World Bank, 2019) and is an important
instructional media. According to World Bank (2019), Kenya is ranked one of the fastest-
growing digital economies with high momentum and potential for growth in that about
25 percent of digital innovation start-ups in Africa are based in Kenya. Technology-
enhanced learning makes learning interesting and meaningful.
• Instructors are Guides and Facilitators of Learning
As facilitators, instructors in higher education should oversee the learning process by
encouraging students to take responsibility for their own learning. CBE enables
instructors to act as role models for learners, caring for and inspiring every child to
achieve his or her potential (KICD, 2019). Instructors should train the learners to be
thinkers and creators of knowledge through reflection and application of knowledge
gained. This begins with needs assessment and a statement of clear and specific learning
outcomes. This necessitates an appropriate selection of content, learning activities,
resources and assessment methods for quality CBHE.
• The Curriculum Should be Learner Centred
CBHE should permit active learning in which the learners engage with the learning tasks
for better achievement of the expected learning outcomes. A learner centered curriculum
is interactive. In the instructional process, interactions can be in various levels: teacher to
student, student to student, and student to materials’ interactions. For such interactions
to take place, instructors have to use a variety of learning activities and materials.
Instructors should use a variety of techniques, often integrated with technology,
to build active learning environments (Richey, Klein & Tracey, 2011; Syomwene,
Nyandusi & Yungungu, 2017). According to Fry, Ketteridge & Marshall (2009), higher
education demands students to operate at higher levels of thinking, creativity, problem-
solving, autonomy and responsibility. The integration of these skills in the curriculum
design process can be achieved in the selection and use of instructional methods, learning
activities and resources. World Bank (2019) notes that pedagogical practices are very
traditional in many higher education institutions in Kenya with overreliance on rote
learning and outdated curricula that tends to be excessively theoretical. A paradigm shift
to learner centred higher education is a timely endeavor in Kenya.
• Application of Knowledge and Skills to Real Life Situations
Each course or programme has its own set of expertise skills and processes that students
need. These need to be identified and students given the opportunity to develop and
practice them fully (Fry, Ketteridge & Marshall, 2009). The goal should be the appropriate
application of knowledge, and not necessarily just its acquisition (KICD, 2017). Erdem,
Hakkı & Mehmet, (2019) proposes that the curriculum should be relevant to students’
lives. Instruction should be linked to real life contexts. This not only makes the instruction
more interesting but also motivating (Richey, Klein & Tracey, 2011).
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• Community Service Learning
Learners have to be provided with opportunities to apply their knowledge and skills in
a real-world setting. According to KICD (2017), Community Service Learning (CSL) is an
experiential learning strategy that integrates classroom learning and community service
to enable learners to reflect, experience and learn from the community. The Kenya Vision
2030 places great emphasis on the link between education and the labor market (RoK,
2008). World Bank (2019) stresses the need for higher education institutions to strengthen
links with industry as an effective way of increasing the relevance of higher education
programmes. CSL provides experiential learning opportunities that enable learners to
apply the acquired knowledge, skills, attitudes and values in different contexts while also
strengthening school-community relationships (KICD, 2019).
• Integration of Value-based Education
CBC for Kenya is value based. Values can be defined as standards that guide an
individual on how to respond or behave in a given circumstance (KICD, 2019). Value
based education entails integration of ethical principles, morals, life skills and standards
of behaviour for learners’ holistic development. The teaching of values in Kenya
facilitates the achievement of the basic education vision, particularly with respect to
developing ethical citizens. For CBHE, curriculum designers should integrate values in
their course designs. In Kenya, values such as love, peace, unity and national co-existence
are essential in graduates’ lives and for national development. Other values stated in the
Kenya Constitution (2010) include responsibility, respect, excellence, care and
compassion, understanding and tolerance, honesty and trustworthiness, trust, and being
ethical.
• Parental Empowerment and Engagement in Higher Education
Parents are expected to not only safeguard the welfare of their children, but also get
involved in their learning at all levels (KICD, 2019; Syomwene, 2022). Instructors have to
work cooperatively with parents to achieve the mission of BECF: nurture learners
potential (Syomwene, 2022). Higher Education institutions in Kenya have to develop
strategies on parental empowerment and engagement. Student welfare departments
have to communicate to parents more on their role in supporting their children’s learning
in higher education. Schools of Education have to incorporate parental engagement
content and courses in the teacher education programmes for teacher empowerment in
curriculum implementation for basic education in Kenya.
• Differentiated Learning
Every class has learners with varying ability levels, needs and aspirations. The varied
needs of individual learners have to be factored into the curriculum design process in
higher education. The mission of the basic education curriculum reforms in Kenya is
nurturing every learner’s potential (KICD, 2019).
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• Assessment
A balance of both formative and summative assessments is key for CBHE. Assessment
tasks should be aligned to the achievement of the expected learning outcomes of every
course.
Other notable aspects for quality CBHE include inclusiveness, education for
sustainable development, life skills, health education, social economic issues, teacher
communities of practice and instructors’ professional development.
6. Conclusion
Competency Based Higher Education (CBHE) is inevitable for Kenya considering the
global educational trends and curriculum innovations in the country. With the
implementation of Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) in basic education levels in
Kenya and for the smooth transition of learners from secondary schools to universities,
the curriculum design strategies proposed in this paper will go a long way in enhancing
quality and relevance in higher education in Kenya. With a Competency Based Higher
Education (CBHE) curriculum, Kenya shall prepare graduates with hands on experiences
required in the job market and in life. This will enable Kenya to compete globally and
build effective systems for economic and national development.
Conflict of Interest Statement
The author declares no conflicts of interest.
About the Author
Prof. Anne Syomwene is a holder of an earned PhD in Curriculum Studies and an
Associate Professor in the same field in Moi University, Kenya. She is currently the Dean,
School of Education. She has previously served as a Chair of Department, Campus
Coordinator and Teaching Practice Coordinator. She has published many papers in
refereed journals and several books in the field of curriculum and instruction. She has
supervised many post-graduate theses. Her research interests are on curriculum design,
development and implementation; and gender issues in education. Her works can be
accessed through the Google Scholar link:
https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=J3YqAjgAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao and through
profile webpage on her institution: http://profiles.mu.ac.ke/annes/syomwenekisilu/
References
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Anne Syomwene
DESIGNING COMPETENCY BASED HIGHER EDUCATION CURRICULUM: STRATEGIES AND ACTIONS
European Journal of Education Studies - Volume 10 │ Issue 7 │ 2023 35
Chu, S. K. W., Reynolds, R. B, Tavares, N. J., Notari, M. & Lee, C. W. Y. (2017). 21st Century
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Syomwene, A. & Kimengi, I. N. (2014). Perceptions of Bachelor of Education Students on
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Innovation and Applied Studies. http://www.ijias.issr-journals.org
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Process. African Journal of Education, Science and Technology. https://ajest.info
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of pupils’ literacy skills in the implementation of Competency Based Curriculum
in Early Years Education in Kenya. European Journal of Education and Pedagogy.
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Syomwene, A., Nyandusi, C. M., & Yungungu, A. M. (Eds.) (2017). Core Principles in
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Anne Syomwene
DESIGNING COMPETENCY BASED HIGHER EDUCATION CURRICULUM: STRATEGIES AND ACTIONS
European Journal of Education Studies - Volume 10 │ Issue 7 │ 2023 36
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