Thousands of learners who dropped out under the outgoing 8-4-4 education system could soon get a second chance.
The Ministry of Education is working on new guidelines that will allow such learners to rejoin school under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).
The Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) has been tasked with developing a CBC pathway tailored for adult learners.
“Many learners who dropped out of school were over-age or came from non-formal education settings. There were no clear ways for them to re-enter the system under CBC, and adult learning programs had not been aligned with the new curriculum,” the proposal reads.
Under the new plan, adult and out-of-school learners would not be confined to the traditional classroom model.
Instead, they will have the flexibility to attend lessons at their convenience, making learning more accessible to people with jobs or family responsibilities.
The ministry is also proposing the expansion of adult education centres across the country, especially in areas with high rates of adult illiteracy.
These centres will offer programmes such as accelerated learning and recognition of prior learning (RPL), where skills and knowledge gained outside formal education are evaluated and credited.
However, those who wish to return to secondary school through this pathway will be limited to day schools.
The move comes amid growing concern over rising dropout rates in the 8-4-4 system.
An analysis by The Standard shows that over 500,000 learners who sat the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) in recent years did not proceed to take the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) four years later.
In 2020, 1,179,192 learners sat KCPE. But only 965,501 were enroled for the KCSE in 2024 — a shortfall of 213,691 learners.
Similar trends were seen in earlier years. In 2022,170,948 learners who had sat KCPE in 2018 were unaccounted for in the KCSE data. In 2023, the gap stood at 184,003 students.
Education stakeholders have welcomed the ministry’s proposal, saying it addresses a long-standing gap.
“We have been pushing for the reintegration of out-of-school youth into the system. Education is a right, and we cannot afford to leave anyone behind, especially when CBC allows for more flexible and practical learning,” said Kenya National Union of Teachers Secretary General Collins Oyuu.
His Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers counterpart Akello Misori also supported the initiative but urged the government to invest in infrastructure and teacher training.
“While this is a commendable idea, we need more resources — both physical and human. Adult learners have different needs, and teachers must be trained to handle such diverse classrooms,” Misori noted.
Educationist Janet Muthoni applauded the flexible learning model and the focus on prior learning recognition.
“This is long overdue. Recognition of prior learning will allow many people, especially those who dropped out to work or raise families, to return and complete their education without starting from scratch,” she said.
Muthoni, however, cautioned that the plan must be carefully implemented to ensure quality learning outcomes.
“This is a brilliant idea on paper, but execution will be key. We need a clear framework, consistent funding, and robust monitoring to make it a success,” she added.
By Lewis Nyaundi
