A teacher in Laikipia County is earning praise after transforming a pre-primary classroom into a model hub for Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) learning.
Mount Kenya University (MKU) student Dorcas Wangui Wamuyu, who teaches at Manguo Primary School near Nyahururu, has created a vibrant, hands-on Early Childhood Development and Education (ECDE) classroom that brings real-life experiences directly to young learners.
From the outside, the classroom looks ordinary.
But inside, it resembles a mini-community with play-based learning spaces that mimic everyday life, including a shopping mall, homes, a meals corner, a nutrition section, and even an Automated Teller Machine (ATM) model.
“Imagine a child in rural Kenya learning how to use an ATM card. It may sound like a dream, but here, it’s part of the lesson plan,” Dorcas explained.
“All this is a result of the quality training I have gained at MKU. The lecturers there encourage us to think beyond the classroom and provide real solutions to improve learning.”
Her innovative approach has drawn admiration from education officials in Laikipia.
Madam Rahab Njaramba, the Ward ECDE Coordinator and Dorcas’ supervisor, described the classroom as both engaging and transformative.
“Children enjoy learning here because the environment is very interactive. They see, they touch, and they learn,” said Ms Njaramba.
“We recently held a materials development day for teachers in the ward here. Other nursery schools are not yet at this level, but they are learning from what Dorcas has done,” added Njaramba.
The county government is now considering replicating the model across more ECDE centres, with Dorcas expected to train fellow teachers.
Laikipia’s ECDE Director, Ms Isil Aden, confirmed that out of the county’s 450 ECDE centres, many are already benchmarking against Manguo Primary’s example.
“What is being showcased here is the creativity of our teachers. It shows what can happen when teachers are empowered to innovate,” Ms Aden said.
MKU has also recognized Dorcas’ work. Dr. Boniface Kamau, head of Special Needs and ECDE at MKU, toured the classroom and lauded the initiative as a true reflection of competency-based learning.
“You can see she is bringing creativity in teaching the various activities to the children,” Dr Kamau observed.
“Her approach is promoting critical thinking, which is a crucial pillar of CBC. The teamwork she is cultivating will help nurture talents early and move away from individualism. This is exactly the kind of learning we want to cascade from ECDE all the way to university level.”
Dorcas, who is passionate about developing teaching materials, said her biggest motivation is to make education both fun and practical.
“Material development for nursery school is my passion. MKU has inspired me, opened my mind, and taught me to think outside the box,” she said.
In April 2024, Kenya transitioned from the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) to Competency-Based Education (CBE), an upgrade that goes beyond the curriculum to include pedagogy, teacher training, assessment, and infrastructure.
Education stakeholders say initiatives like Dorcas’ classroom provide a glimpse of what effective CBE implementation looks like at the grassroots.
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