The government is preparing to introduce Competency-Based Education and training in universities. The move aims to align higher education with the skills and demands of the labour market.
The Ministry of Education issued a notice on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, inviting consultants to develop a university competency-based education and training framework. The work falls under the Support to Higher Education, Science and Technology Phase II Project, financed by the African Development Fund.
The consultancy will support the Commission for University Education in the review, validation, development, implementation and operationalisation of a University Competency-Based Education Framework. The framework is intended to enhance quality, relevance, employability, innovation capacity and industry responsiveness of university education.
The selected consultant will assess the current university education system and develop a framework for introducing Competency-Based Education and training. The assignment includes evaluating the existing curriculum and training system, identifying gaps and highlighting challenges in the current framework.
The consultant will also assess how university education and training can be aligned with competency-based principles. Under the proposed framework, universities could see changes in curriculum design, teaching methods, assessment and learning approaches.
The Ministry is seeking recommendations on how institutions can strengthen teaching and learning through competency-based approaches. A major part of the planned reforms will focus on aligning university programmes with labour market demands and national development priorities.
The consultant will be required to assess the relevance of university programmes and recommend how academic courses can better respond to the skills required by employers and the changing economy. The assignment will also examine the gap between the skills graduates acquire in universities and those required in the job market.
Among the expected tasks is the development of strategies for the implementation of competency-based education in universities. The Ministry also wants the consultant to propose a monitoring and evaluation framework to assess the implementation of the new approach.
The planned framework could change how university students are assessed. The Ministry wants the consultant to review assessment practices and develop recommendations aligned with competency-based education principles. This could shift greater focus towards the practical application of skills alongside traditional academic learning.
The consultant will also review university curricula and recommend changes that support competency-based learning. Other areas under review include the use of technology, innovation and emerging trends in higher education.
The Ministry said the framework should also promote inclusivity, quality assurance and academic mobility. The planned changes could directly affect universities, lecturers and students if the competency-based framework is adopted.
Universities may be required to review existing programmes and teaching methods to ensure they focus more closely on the skills students are expected to acquire. Lecturers could also require training to support the implementation of the new system.
The consultant will be expected to identify the capacity-building measures universities and other stakeholders need to implement the framework. The Ministry is also seeking recommendations on institutional and financial arrangements needed to ensure the framework can be adopted and implemented sustainably.
The consultancy is expected to run for 12 months. During that period, the selected consultant will work with the Commission for University Education and other stakeholders to develop the framework.
The Ministry said the assignment will include stakeholder consultations and the preparation of an implementation strategy and capacity-building plan. The Competency-Based Education framework is expected to provide guidance on curriculum development, teaching and learning, assessment, quality assurance and the use of technology in university education.
The Ministry of Education has asked interested consultants to submit expressions of interest. The Commission for University Education is spearheading the development of the University Competency-Based Education Framework, which is expected to guide universities as they prepare for the first Competency-Based Education cohort transitioning to higher education in 2029.
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