Teachers’ Perceptions of CBE Curriculum and Their Psychological Well-Being among Junior School Teachers in Nakuru County, Kenya

Abstract

Educational reforms are a key driver of national development, reflecting the social, economic, and political priorities of a country. In Kenya, the Competency-Based Education (CBE) curriculum represents a major shift in teaching and learning, placing new demands on teachers who are central to successful implementation. Although the implementation of the Competency-Based Education (CBE) curriculum in Kenya has largely emphasized learner outcomes and instructional reforms, limited attention has been given to teachers’ psychological well-being. Consequently, the relationship between teachers’ perceptions of CBE and their psychological well-being remains underexplored, particularly within the Kenyan context. This study examined the impact of teachers’ perceptions of CBE on their psychological well-being among junior school teachers in Nakuru County. The study was based on the Self-Efficacy Theory by Bandura. The target population was 320 respondents, of whom seven respondents were used in the qualitative data. The mixed methods design was applied, and both the quantitative survey and the qualitative semi-structured interviews were combined. Findings indicated that teachers had moderate positive attitudes towards CBE, but the following factors were reported to be of concern: workload, insufficient resources, and lack of role clarity. There was a statistically significant correlation between the perception of teachers of CBE and their psychological well-being. The results of the Pearson correlation coefficient indicated that there was a strong positive correlation (r =.737, p =.000, N = 293). The study concludes that the attitude of the teachers towards reforms in education has a statistical impact on their psychological well-being. The research proposes practical teacher training on the CBE curriculum, supply of sufficient teaching materials, and institutional psychosocial support programs to improve adjustment to CBE curriculum implementation.