KICD Finalises Senior School Curriculum and TSC Teacher Training for CBE

The Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) has completed curriculum designs for all three Senior School grades and is working with the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) on teacher training, as the country prepares for the Competency-Based Education (CBE) rollout into Grade 10 and beyond. According to Education News, KICD has also evaluated and approved Grade 10 textbooks from selected publishers for distribution to public senior schools.

What has been announced

KICD reports that curriculum designs for Grade 10, Grade 11 and Grade 12 are now developed, giving schools and teachers the framework for the Senior School phase of CBE. Alongside the designs, KICD says it has completed the evaluation of Grade 10 textbooks and awarded approval to selected publishers, with those books to be distributed to public senior schools ahead of the Grade 10 intake. To support delivery, KICD is partnering with the TSC on teacher training so that teachers are prepared for the new content and the competency-based approach it requires.

Why this matters for Grade 9 families now

For parents of current Grade 9 learners, this is the most directly relevant curriculum news of the year. These learners sit the KJSEA at the end of 2026 and then transition into Grade 10, the first year of Senior School, where they choose a pathway (STEM, Social Sciences, Arts and Sports, or Languages). Confirmation that the curriculum designs and textbooks are ready removes a major uncertainty that has worried families: whether Senior School would be properly resourced when their children arrive.

It also sharpens the importance of the pathway decision that follows KJSEA. Understanding what each Senior School pathway involves, and which subjects open which doors, is now a live planning task for every Grade 9 household; our guide to the Grade 9 to Grade 10 transition walks parents through it.

What it means for teachers

The KICD and TSC training partnership is significant for Senior School teachers, who will deliver content and assessment approaches that are new to the system. Teacher readiness has been one of the recurring concerns of the CBE transition, and structured training tied directly to the approved curriculum designs is the response. This sits alongside the wider set of TSC actions this financial year, including the planned promotions, intern recruitment and deployment of teachers to junior and senior school.

What parents and teachers should do now

• Grade 9 parents: begin the pathway conversation early. Look at your child's strengths and interests against the four Senior School pathways, rather than leaving the choice to the last minute after results.
• Teachers: follow official TSC and KICD channels for training dates and access the approved curriculum designs to plan ahead.
• Everyone: confirm details through official sources. Curriculum timelines and textbook distribution schedules can be updated, so rely on KICD and the Ministry of Education for the current position rather than on rumour.
• Keep preparing for KJSEA. Senior School readiness starts with a strong Grade 9 result. KICD-aligned revision materials for every learning area are on the Grade 9 hub.

The bigger picture

With Senior School curriculum designs ready, Grade 10 textbooks approved, and teacher training underway, the final major stage of the CBE structure is moving from planning into delivery. For the pioneer cohorts moving up through the system, it is reassuring news: the pathway ahead is being resourced before they reach it. We will report confirmed training dates, textbook distribution timelines and pathway guidance as KICD and the Ministry release them.

Reported from Kenyan education press coverage of KICD's Senior School curriculum announcement, July 2026. Confirm current curriculum, textbook and training details on the official KICD and Ministry of Education channels.