Implementation of competence-based curriculum (CBC) in Kenyan universities: Challenges and opportunities

Abstract

The recent food shortage in Kenya has been associated with harsh environment and changing climatic patterns. According to Titus Masika (2016), the problem could be deeper than just climate change and environmental harshness and may also be abehaviour issue. Masika asserts that many people lack the wisdom to use the limited available resources, the necessary work ethic to entrench conservation and the personal integrity to refrain from unsustainable entrepreneurship. Thus, although all education reforms since 1976 emphasized the need for education to inculcate good morals among the learners, many teachers do not take up the role of mentorship and behaviour seriously. Thus education has been the weak link in matters of management, and is conspicuously absent or silent in promptingbehaviour change. This explorative study sought to investigate the roles played by education institutions in Kirinyaga County to inculcate good morals and behaviour change, related to environmental management, together with motivations for the noted roles played, whether positive, neutral, or negative. This was both an explorative and descriptive study, employing both qualitative and quantitate methods. Data was collected using questionnaires, interview schedules, and observation guides. Leading and key participants were accessed using snow ball technique. Data was analysed and findings presented using narration, graphs, and charts. Results showed that education institutions in Kirinyaga County have not considered environmental management as one of their mandates. It is recommended that environmental management behaviour be adopted by the ministry of education as one of the key emerging issue to be included in the curriculum at primary, secondary, through tertiary and University education.