Former Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr Fred Matiang’i has pushed back against claims by Defence Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale that the challenges facing the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) stem from his tenure in government, saying the problem lies not with the curriculum itself but with poor implementation by the current administration.

In a statement shared on his X ( Formerly Twitter), Matiang’i who is also the Jubilee Party’s presidential aspirant for the 2027 General Election accused the Kenya Kwanza government of mismanaging the education sector and undermining key reforms inherited from previous administrations.

Speaking earlier in an interview, Duale had described CBC as “a mess” created by Matiang’i, which the current government is now attempting to fix.

However, Matiang’i dismissed the claim, arguing that the same outcome would have been witnessed regardless of the curriculum model in place.

“The real mess we are witnessing today is not the curriculum itself, but the gross incompetence with which the administration he serves has managed the education sector,” Matiang’i said.

He cited the 100 per cent transition policy, which ensured learners moved from primary to secondary school, as one of the reforms that was achieved through deliberate planning but has since been “badly mishandled” under the current leadership.

Matiang’i further claimed that even Members of Parliament allied to the government have publicly expressed concern over what he termed incompetence among senior officials at the Ministry of Education, accusing them of focusing on self-promotion instead of service delivery.

“There is nothing wrong with the CBC. The present challenge is the incompetent and chaotic management of the education sector,” he added.

CBC was rolled out in 2017 to replace the 8-4-4 system, with the aim of focusing on skills, learner abilities and practical competencies.

However, the curriculum has faced sustained criticism from parents, teachers and education stakeholders over issues such as heavy workloads, inadequate teacher training and limited infrastructure.

In response to these concerns, the Kenya Kwanza administration initiated a review of CBC, culminating in proposals to adopt a 2-6-3-3-3 Competency-Based Education (CBE) structure.

The government has maintained that reforms are necessary to address gaps identified during implementation.

Matiang’i, who played a central role in education reforms during former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration, said Kenya’s education sector can still be stabilised with competent leadership.

“When Kenyans rescue the country from incompetence and poor leadership in 2027, we will restore order, professionalism and results-driven leadership in education and government as a whole,” he said.