The Human Resource Bottleneck: An Assessment of Staffing Adequacy for Effective CBC Implementation at the Junior Secondary Level in Kericho County
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47941/jep.4017Keywords:
Human Resource Readiness, Junior School (JS), Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), Staffing Adequacy, Support Staff, Curriculum Implementation, KenyaAbstract
Purpose: The successful transition to Kenya's Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) at the Junior School (JS) level is critically dependent on sufficient and qualified human resources. This study assessed the readiness of human resources for JS implementation in Kericho County, Kenya, with a specific focus on the adequacy of both teaching and support staff.
Methodology: A convergent parallel mixed-methods design was employed, collecting quantitative data through surveys from teachers and headteachers, and qualitative data via key informant interviews with education officials.
Findings: The findings reveal significant human resource deficits, characterized by acute shortages of qualified subject teachers and a critical lack of essential support personnel, including ICT technicians, librarians, and laboratory technicians. These inadequacies were found to severely compromise the quality of curriculum delivery, constrain practical and ICT-driven learning experiences central to the CBC, and ultimately threaten the achievement of the curriculum's core competencies. The study concludes that the current human resource capacity constitutes a major bottleneck to effective JS implementation.
Unique Contribution to Theory, Policy and Practice: It therefore recommends the urgent development and execution of a targeted staffing policy by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) and the Ministry of Education, which prioritizes the recruitment and deployment of both subject-specialist teachers and dedicated support staff to ensure sustainable CBC implementation and improved educational outcomes.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Ketwony Evaline Chebet, Florence Wanaja Kamonjo, Bilha Muthoni Kiptoo
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