Breaking the Cycle of School Arson and Riots: A CBE Framework Built on Munavu

Repeated unrest in Kenyan secondary schools signals a systemic failure that cannot be addressed by superficial interventions. This paper argues that the full and correct implementation of Competency-Based Education (CBE) offers a complete overhaul. While the Munavu report (2023) laid essential structural foundations, it did not detail the pedagogical retooling of practicing teachers, the partnership model required for CBE delivery, nor the necessary transition away from compulsory boarding. This paper builds on Munavu by proposing: (1) a co-investment pathway for teacher CPD, where government subsidy and teacher contribution ensure both access and commitment; (2) a Public-Private-People Partnership (PPPP) model for CBE implementation, ending high-handed school governance; (3) a phased transition from boarding to day secondary schools, leveraging the existing infrastructure of public primary schools with adjacent day secondary schools; (4) a toolkit school model with core, elective, and compulsory ethics modules; and (5) a specialist school model for senior school pathways to concentrate resources. The paper concludes with actionable recommendations for the Ministry of Education, TSC, KICD, KNEC, and teacher training colleges. The focus is on the over 430,000 practicing teachers who require retooling.