Why Kenya's Competency-Based Curriculum should include social-emotional learning

The Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) represents a bold step forward in Kenyan education, emphasising practical skills, values, and real-world application over rote memorisation and emphasis on numeracy and literacy. This is in line with what the evidence from education researchers advises – that educational systems need to focus on whole-child development and emphasise non-academic competencies such as creativity, values and social-emotional development, says an article by Professor Amina Abubakar, Director of the Institute for Human Development and Dr Anil Khamis, Lead Researcher at the Institute for Human Development, Aga Khan University. Social-emotional learning (SEL) is becoming a critical component in education, given its numerous benefits. It goes beyond academics, focusing on developing self-awareness, responsible decision-making, healthy relationships, and management of emotions. All these “soft skills" are not only essential for positive academic outcomes, but also for building resilience and well-being, and for contributing positively to society.