Venue: Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development, Desai Rd, Off Muranga Rd, Nairobi, Kenya. Date: 25th -27th November 2025 Download the program
In a world where digital technology dominates nearly every aspect of daily life, a silent crisis is unfolding one that isn’t about gadgets or internet access, but about character. Across Kenya, educators and parents are increasingly worried that children are growing up digitally connected yet emotionally and socially disconnected. To bridge this gap, Action for Life Skills and Values in East Africa, ALiVE, embarked on a 10-week regional parental engagement campaign on nurturing problem-solving among children and youth. The campaign dubbed nurturing a generation of problem solvers was rolled out in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania(Mainland) and Zanzibar, with an aim to support parents with practical tools that they can use to engage with their children and to help them identify problems and solutions to the problems. Here in Kenya, the campaign focused on two pastoral counties, Isiolo and Kajiado. Read more
How can schools move from policy to practice when it comes to nurturing life skills and values? From a recent review of literature conducted by Action for Life Skills and Values in East Africa (ALiVE), we identify forward-thinking models that reimagine not only how learners acquire knowledge but also how they develop compassion, resilience, and responsibility. In this blog, we discuss some of these models as promising approaches that can strengthen pedagogical practices in nurturing skills and values through the whole school approach. Reinventing the Learning Space The Inquiry-Based Flipped Classroom (IB-FC) model (Loizou & Lee, 2020) redefines classroom dynamics. Here, students engage with digital learning materials i.e. short videos, readings, or interactive tasks before class. This frees up classroom time for inquiry, reflection, and problem-solving. Teachers act as facilitators rather than lecturers, guiding students through collaborative exploration. The result is a participatory and inclusive environment that promotes independence, adaptability, and teamwork. This model demonstrates that when schools invest in digital infrastructure and teacher capacity, technology becomes a bridge to curiosity and creativity not a distraction. Coding Character into Learning The Creative Computational Problem-Solving (CCPS) model (Chevalier et al., 2022) uses robotics and computational thinking to teach collaboration, ethical reasoning, and innovation. Learners work in teams to design, code, and test solutions to real-world problems, blending technical skill with social intelligence. Teachers who piloted the model found that it improved teamwork, reflection, and creativity proving that coding can cultivate both competence and character. For Uganda’s growing digital economy, this model offers valuable insights into how Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) education can become a vehicle for life skills development. Learning from our Roots Closer home, the African Traditional Education Framework (ATEF) (Onwuatuegwu & Paul-Mgbeafulike, 2023) reminds educators that values education is not new to Africa. Rooted in the philosophy of Ubuntu “I am because we are” ATEF promotes community learning, moral instruction, and apprenticeship as means of cultivating empathy, integrity, and interdependence. By weaving indigenous knowledge systems into modern schooling, educators can create culturally responsive curricula that celebrate heritage while building civic responsibility and social cohesion. Resilience and Leadership for the Future The Resilience Framework for Promoting Competence (Masten et al., 2008) and the Integrated Instructional and Transformational Leadership (IITL) model (Shava, 2021) position schools as ecosystems that nurture both competence and character. They show that effective education goes beyond lessons – it lives in school culture, relationships, and leadership. When teachers and principals adopt transformational leadership which models empathy, vision, and collaboration, schools become nurturing spaces that help students thrive emotionally and academically. The Big Picture Across these diverse models, one message stands out: nurturing life skills and values is a systemic responsibility. It requires synergy between curriculum design, school leadership, teacher development, and community participation. From a recent review of literature conducted by ALiVE, we conclude that “competence and character are cultivated when instructional design, leadership, counselling, cultural relevance, and emotional safety operate as a coherent ecosystem.” When education connects intellect with empathy and culture with innovation, classrooms become spaces where knowledge transforms into wisdom. This holistic approach is what education reform in Uganda and beyond must now aim for to provide an education that prepares learners not only to make a living but to make a difference. The future belongs to schools that educate both the mind and the heart. By Seezi Bogere Seezi Bogere is a Research Officer at NCDC and Co-Lead of ALiVE Learning Journey with Schools, Uganda
Across the world, education systems are undergoing a quiet revolution, a shift from rote memorization to the holistic development of learners who can think critically, empathize deeply, and act ethically. In Uganda, this transformation is being advanced through a strategic partnership between the National Curriculum Development Centre (NCDC, Uganda) and Action for Life Skills and Values in East Africa (ALiVE) initiative. Together, NCDC and ALiVE are championing the implementation of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), which places life skills and values at the heart of teaching and learning, equipping learners to thrive in a changing world. Through this partnership, NCDC and ALiVE are on a learning journey with 6 primary schools to unlock evidence on working models for developing skills and nurturing values through the whole school approach. The partnership is also supporting the development of evidence informed Learning Progressions for three skills (cooperation, creative thinking and problem solving) across four grade levels (P6, S1, S2 and S3). This aims to enhance understanding of developmental progressions for these skills as well as strengthening classroom practices for nurturing these competencies amongst the learners. Under the same NCDC–ALiVE partnership, a literature review was conducted. This review offers insights that continue to inform and strengthen the ongoing learning journey with schools. It serves as an evidence base linking research to practice, ensuring that the partnership’s interventions for nurturing life skills and values are grounded in both global and local knowledge. As explained in the review, the 21st-century learner must be nurtured as a whole being, not just to pass exams, but as citizens who are compassionate, creative, and conscious of their role in shaping a just and sustainable world. An education that equips the whole person requires us to adapt and adopt to a new posture. From our current review of global and local literature, three key insights stand out: 1. Beyond Knowledge: Teaching for Humanity Traditional teaching methods often focus on content mastery, leaving little room for character formation or emotional intelligence. However, emerging pedagogies including inquiry-based learning, problem-based learning, reflective dialogue, and technology-enhanced instruction emphasize learning as a process of exploration and meaning-making. These methods allow learners to question, investigate, and collaborate, building confidence, curiosity, and empathy along the way. For instance, in inquiry-based learning, students become investigators of real-life issues, engaging in critical reasoning and ethical decision-making. In problem-based learning, they work collaboratively to find solutions to community challenges while strengthening teamwork, persistence, and accountability. Technology-enhanced learning, when used ethically, further develops digital citizenship and innovation skills, preparing learners for both local and global realities. 2. Learning from the World Around Us Bogere’s synthesis reveals that experiential and place-based learning play a vital role in connecting knowledge to life. When learners engage directly with their communities, natural environments, and local cultures, they develop a sense of belonging and responsibility. Such approaches nurture environmental stewardship and civic consciousness values that are crucial for achieving UNESCO Education for Sustainable Development goals. Whether through school gardens, community clean-ups, or local storytelling projects, these experiences teach children that learning extends beyond the classroom. They help students appreciate the interconnectedness of social, environmental, and ethical dimensions of life. 3. Teaching with Heart and Reflection The review also underscores the importance of reflective questioning and dialogue-based teaching. When teachers ask open-ended questions and facilitate discussion rather than dictation, they encourage learners to express themselves, listen actively, and respect diverse opinions. This nurtures humility, patience, and emotional intelligence – qualities which are vital for peaceful coexistence in diverse societies. By cultivating curiosity and moral reflection, educators help learners to see the value of compassion and ethical choice. These skills prepare them not only for the world of work but also for leadership, family, and community life. A Call to Action The message is clear: nurturing life skills and values is not an optional add-on; it is the very purpose of education. Schools that blend academic rigor with moral development and social engagement produce well-rounded individuals ready to thrive in a rapidly changing world. For teachers, this means rethinking classroom practices; for policymakers, reimagining assessment and accountability; and for parents, reinforcing values at home to complement what is nurtured in school. When these stakeholders work together, education becomes a force for both personal and national transformation. To build a peaceful, equitable, and sustainable Uganda, we must move beyond “learning to know” toward “learning to be.” When life skills and values drive education, schools do not just prepare students for jobs they prepare them for life. By Seezi Bogere Seezi Bogere is a Research Officer at NCDC and Co-Lead of ALiVE Learning Journey with Schools, Uganda
Jaimie Bleck | Robert Dowd | Danice Guzman | John Mugo | Jackline Oluoch-Aridi Education is thought to be an essential tool for building social cohesion in an ethnically diverse society. This paper evaluates the effect of exposure to a more diverse student body on trust, tolerance, and patriotism in one country where the government has made explicit efforts to use schooling to foster social cohesion: Kenya. In the wake of electoral violence in the 2007 elections, Kenya’s government expanded the number of ‘national schools’, schools with required regional diversity quotas, from 18 to 103. We leverage the policy change to compare 984 secondary students in schools that differ in their use of a diversity quota. We measure friendship with outgroup members, trust, tolerance, and national identity. Our findings indicate that national school students are more likely to have inter-ethnic friendships and are associated with a higher prioritization of civic national identity over subnational identities. We find that diverse friendships act as a mediating factor for increased trust and tolerance. Download Article
Stella Rose Akongo | Martin Ariapa | Mauro Giacomazzi | This systematic review explores the relevance, implementation, and assessment of 21st century life skills education in sub-Saharan Africa, with a focus on socio-emotional learning, soft skills, and resilience. It identifies life skills as essential for youth development, particularly among vulnerable populations facing social and economic adversity. Despite policy recognition across sub-Saharan Africa, life skills integration into education systems remains inconsistent due to infrastructural gaps, teacher preparedness, and lack of culturally relevant frameworks. The review analyses 27 intervention assessments, revealing that experiential, structured, and contextually adapted pedagogies—particularly those targeting internal domains like self-esteem and self-efficacy—yield significant psychosocial and educational outcomes. It also highlights a critical gap in validated, context-sensitive assessment tools, with most relying on Western self-report measures. Community and school-based programs showed positive outcomes, especially when grounded in participatory learning and local relevance. The study underscores the need for scalable models, systemic evaluation, and policy alignment, and advocates for strengthening teacher training and community involvement. It concludes with recommendations to enhance life skills programming through sustained, context-specific approaches and improved measurement frameworks. The findings aim to inform policymakers, educators, and practitioners in developing effective strategies for fostering youth competencies across the region. Download Article
