Implementation of Competency Based Education at Kepler College in Rwanda

Implementation of Competency Based Education at Kepler College in Rwanda | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Implementation of Competency Based Education at Kepler College in Rwanda Solomon Tesfamicael, Marie Sagesse Uwurukundo This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8612734/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract This paper explores the implementation of Competency-Based Education (CBE) at Kepler College, a Higher Education Institution (HEI) in Rwanda. CBE has gained traction in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) for its emphasis on real-life competencies and practical skills essential for the 21st-century labor market. The study is structured using Bezanilla et al.’s (2019) model and the Tripartite Curriculum Model by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA)—covering intended, implemented, and attained curricula. A mixed-methods approach was employed, combining classroom observations, semi-structured interviews with leaders, instructors, and students, and document analysis. Data was analyzed using qualitative content analysis and descriptive statistics. Findings indicate strong stakeholder understanding of CBE, curriculum alignment, innovative teaching practices, and diverse assessment methods—mostly consistent with CBE principles. However, both staff and students highlighted challenges, particularly the heavy workload due to pre-class preparation, project work, in-class activities, and competency assessments across various contexts. While stakeholders acknowledged existing institutional support, they agreed that more could be done to address persistent challenges—especially in designing, achieving, and assessing competencies, and managing workload. This study provides insights into CBE implementation at Kepler College and offers valuable implications for other HEIs in SSA and beyond that are adopting or planning to adopt CBE. Competency-Based Education Curriculum Assessment Teaching and Learning Higher Education Institution Implementing Full Text Additional Declarations The authors declare no competing interests. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. 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