Whether you call it CBC or CBE, the Kenyan classroom now runs on competency-based education — and every learning area, every term, demands a properly formatted lesson plan on the teacher's desk. This is the complete 2026 guide to CBC lesson plans in Kenya: what makes one KICD-aligned, where to find sample plans for each grade, what the 2024 CBE rebrand actually changed, and how to choose between free PDFs and editable Word packs.
What a KICD-aligned CBC lesson plan must contain (2026 format)
The Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) publishes the official lesson plan template for every learning area. A plan that misses any of the eleven required sections is, technically, not a KICD lesson plan. Here is the full structure:
- Header — school name, learning area, grade, date, time, enrolment, lesson number.
- Strand — the broad content area (e.g. "Numbers", "Living Things").
- Sub-strand — the specific topic of this lesson.
- Specific Learning Outcomes (SLOs) — quoted verbatim from the curriculum design.
- Key Inquiry Question — the open question that anchors the lesson.
- Core Competencies — which of the seven CBC competencies the lesson develops.
- Values — the values integrated through the activities.
- Pertinent and Contemporary Issues (PCIs) — the cross-cutting issues addressed.
- Learning Resources — what the teacher needs and what the learners will use.
- Organisation of Learning — the structured flow: introduction, lesson development steps, conclusion, extended activities.
- Reflection — written by the teacher AFTER the lesson, evaluating what worked and what to adjust.
That last section — the reflection — is the one teachers most often skip. KICD inspectors look for it specifically, and HoDs have started requiring it from week 1.
Free sample lesson plan — download and inspect before you buy
If you've never bought lesson plans online, the right move is to inspect a sample first. Below is a real, KICD-aligned sample lesson plan you can open, read, and decide for yourself whether the structure matches your needs.
👉 Download a free sample: Browse the lesson plans hub — every pack page on the hub includes a free 2-lesson preview PDF. No payment, no email required to view.
CBC vs CBE: same curriculum, new name (what actually changed in 2024)
In 2024 the Ministry of Education formally renamed the system from "Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC)" to "Competency-Based Education (CBE)". The renaming was a recommendation from the Presidential Working Party on Education Reform (PWPER) chaired by Prof Raphael Munavu.
What changed in practice for lesson plans?
- Branding and headers — KICD now refers to "CBE" in newer documents. Older "CBC" wording is still acceptable.
- Pathways at senior school — Grade 10–12 pathways were rationalised to three: STEM, Social Sciences, and Arts & Sports Science.
- Junior school — Grades 7–9 are now firmly classified as "Junior School" (no longer "Junior Secondary School").
- Curriculum content — the strands and sub-strands per learning area are the same. Specific learning outcomes are unchanged.
If your school still uses "CBC" in its plans, that's fine. If it has switched to "CBE", that's also fine. Just be consistent within a single document.
Lesson plans by grade — PP1, PP2, Grades 1–12
Pre-Primary (PP1 + PP2)
Lesson plans at this level are activity-based rather than content-heavy. The structure is the same as junior school plans, but the SLOs focus on social-emotional development, sensory exploration, early literacy and early numeracy.
Lower Primary (Grades 1–3)
Five core learning areas: Literacy, Kiswahili Language Activities, English Language Activities, Mathematics, Environmental Activities, plus Religious Education, Movement & Creative Activities, and Hygiene & Nutrition.
Upper Primary (Grades 4–6)
Adds Science & Technology, Social Studies, and Agriculture & Nutrition. Lessons run for 35-minute blocks, two per learning area per week typically.
Junior School (Grades 7–9)
Twelve learning areas including the optional subjects (Visual Arts, Performing Arts, Indigenous Languages, Sports & PE). Grade 9 lesson plans include explicit revision and mock-prep weeks because of the level-end national assessment.
Senior School (Grades 10–12)
Pathway-based: STEM (Mathematics, Sciences, Computer Science, Agriculture, Pre-Technical), Social Sciences (History & Citizenship, Geography, Business Studies, Religious Education, Languages), Arts & Sports Science. Lesson plans differ slightly by pathway.
Term 1, Term 2, Term 3 — coverage
A complete year of lesson plans for one learning area runs to roughly 90–110 individual plans (3 terms × ~12 weeks × 2-3 lessons per week). Most teachers buy term-by-term rather than annually. The full Term 2 set on cbcedukenya.com covers every week through to the term-end assessment.
👉 See current Term 2 coverage at Term 2 Lesson Plans 2026 — Editable Word Packs.
Editable Word vs PDF — which format teachers actually use
Free PDF lesson plans are abundant online. Almost every teacher we've spoken to ends up frustrated with them within a fortnight. The reasons:
- School and teacher name fields are baked in (somebody else's school).
- Date columns are stuck on last year.
- HoD wants a section added; PDF doesn't bend.
- Your enrolment changed; the plan still says 47.
- You can't add your reflection notes after the lesson.
An editable Word .docx solves all of that. The trade-off is that editable packs cost something. The cbcedukenya.com Term 2 launch price is KSH 300 per learning area until 7 June 2026.
Frequently asked questions
How many lesson plans are in one pack?
For Grades 7–8 a Term 2 pack contains 36 lesson plans (12 weeks × 3 lessons typically). For Grade 9 it's 47 because of the additional revision and mock weeks.
Are the plans inspector-ready?
Yes — every plan covers the eleven required sections in the order TSC inspectors and KICD QASOs check.
Can I edit the plans on a phone?
Yes. Microsoft Word for Android/iOS and Google Docs both open .docx fluently. You can edit on a phone, save to OneDrive or Drive, and print at school.
Do you cover Cambridge IGCSE / O Level?
Cambridge revision notes and past papers are listed separately under our Cambridge section. Cambridge lesson plans for Kenyan teachers delivering IGCSE syllabi are on the roadmap.
Related guides
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