With schools set to reopen in just 10 days, the Ministry of Education and Training has assured the nation that teachers will receive training on the Competency-Based Education (CBE) programme once schools open, with the sessions to be conducted at their respective schools across the country.
This was revealed by Ministry of Education and Training Principal Secretary Naniki Mnisi, who said preparations for the rollout of the programme were progressing steadily, with key education officials already having undergone extensive training.
Mnisi said headteachers, pastoral inspectors, and senior inspectors had already been trained as part of the ministry’s phased approach to implementation.
She explained that the strategy was designed to ensure that those responsible for supervision and quality assurance were adequately prepared before teachers at classroom level were trained.
According to the PS, the ministry had also taken steps to expose inspectors to international best practices by sending them to countries that had already implemented the CBE system.
“We have taken our inspectors to Zambia, Kenya and Mozambique for training, as these countries are also implementing the same programme,” Mnisi said.
She explained that some senior inspectors had already benefitted from this international training, while others were in the process of being facilitated.
Mnisi emphasised that it was critical for inspectors to receive hands-on exposure to the programme in countries where it was already being applied.
She stated that it was important that they go for this training because they are the ones who were expected to conduct quality assurance and inspections locally. They have to understand the programme properly and at the right standard so that they can guide and support teachers effectively.
ALSO READ | Boy (14) accidentally shoots himself, dies
Mnisi said, unlike previous models where teachers were required to travel to central venues for workshops, the CBE training would be conducted within individual schools, making it more accessible and context-specific.
“When schools open, teachers from schools across the country will be trained by inspectors and this training will take place at their respective schools,” she said.
The PS acknowledged that the introduction of a new education programme often comes with uncertainty and concern, particularly among educators who are expected to implement it in the classroom.
She said the ministry was aware that there was fear of the unknown, but stressed that such concerns were normal whenever something new was introduced.
Mnisi also sought to reassure teachers that the CBE programme was not meant to undermine their professional training or experience.
She emphasised that teachers were not being asked to relearn teaching from the beginning, but rather to adopt a different approach to delivering content they were already trained to teach.
She explained that the Competency-Based Education system focuses on how learners apply knowledge and skills, rather than memorising content for examinations.
As a result, teachers are expected to guide learners through practical, learner-centred methods that promote understanding, creativity and problem-solving.
Mnisi further highlighted that the CBE programme is supported by modules that guide educators as they conduct their lessons.
These modules, she said, are designed to assist teachers with lesson planning, delivery and assessment under the new system.
“With CBE, there are modules that guide educators as they conduct lessons,” she explained, adding that these resources would help ensure consistency and clarity as teachers transition to the new approach.
Mnisi reiterated that the ministry remained committed to supporting teachers throughout the implementation process, noting that training would not be a once-off exercise but part of an ongoing support system.
As schools prepare to reopen, the ministry has expressed confidence that the groundwork laid through the training of inspectors and education leaders would ensure a smoother transition to the Competency-Based Education programme, with teachers receiving the necessary guidance at school level.
Mnisi emphasised that collaboration, patience and openness to change would be key as the country embarks on this new chapter.
