President William Ruto will this Saturday host 10,000 teachers at State House in a landmark consultative meeting that will put Competency-Based Education (CBE) pathways at the centre of discussions.

The high-level engagement comes at a critical stage in the roll-out of the new curriculum, with stakeholders keen to assess how the three pathways, Arts and Sports Science, Social Sciences, and Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), are opening doors for learners beyond traditional academic tracks.

On Wednesday morning, Basic Education Principal Secretary Julius Bitok chaired a two-hour planning session at Jogoo House with leaders of the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT), Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET), Kenya Union of Special Needs Education Teachers (KUSNET), Kenya Primary School Heads Association (KEPSHA) and Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (KESSHA).

The session finalised the composition of the delegation and the agenda for the State House talks. The 10,000-strong team will comprise 3,300 delegates from KNUT, 2,000 from KUPPET, 400 from KUSNET, 2,300 from KEPSHA and 2,000 from KESSHA.

Key issues lined up for discussion include the role of teachers in guiding learners into pathways that match their talents and career aspirations, the integration of digital learning, and the need for more robust staffing and infrastructure to support reforms.

Teachers’ welfare and working conditions are also expected to take centre stage. Government officials say President Ruto is keen to listen directly to teachers’ experiences on the successes and challenges of implementing pathways, with the aim of strengthening collaboration between educators and policymakers.

For many in the profession, this consultative forum is a chance to influence how CBE pathways can unlock innovation, creativity and career readiness for millions of learners across Kenya.