ALiVE programme

August 19, 2025 - In Values-based Education By ALiVE Admin 0

Building Character, Not Just Curriculum: Insights from Kenya’s Values-Based Education Landscape

In a world where education systems are increasingly called upon to cultivate not only academic excellence but also ethical, empathetic, and socially responsible citizens, Values-Based Education (VbE) has emerged as a transformative imperative. Kenya’s ongoing efforts to mainstream VbE through its Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) offer valuable insights into both the promise and challenges of systemic integration of values into education. Recent findings from a VbE baseline survey conducted across several counties including Isiolo, Tharaka Nithi, Taita Taveta, and Kwale, paint a complex picture. While many learners demonstrated values such as respect and teamwork in daily school life, a majority struggled to define or articulate what values are or how they relate to education. In most schools visited, there was no formal structure for nurturing values. Instead, values-related practices were often informal, fragmented, and dependent on individual teacher initiative or co-curricular activities such as sports and clubs. Despite the clear enthusiasm among educators and stakeholders, the survey exposed a persistent gap in structured VbE implementation. Many schools lacked resources, teacher training, and system-level frameworks to embed values consistently. In some special needs institutions, physical infrastructure challenges and limited inclusivity further complicated efforts to nurture values equitably. Yet amidst these gaps, there are pockets of promise. Some schools demonstrated organic approaches to character formation, teachers modelling values through daily interactions, schools encouraging environmental stewardship and community service, and student clubs fostering responsibility and collaboration. In a few cases, talking walls (visual displays of key moral messages) were used to reinforce school-wide commitment to values like peace, responsibility, and social justice. To address these issues, stakeholders emphasized the importance of adopting the Whole School Approach (WSA), an evidence-based strategy that embeds values across every aspect of school life, from classroom instruction to peer relationships and leadership culture. Regular monitoring, peer learning forums, and investment in visual learning tools like value charts and displays were also recommended to strengthen long-term impact. Officials from the Ministry of Education, KICD staff, Zizi Afrique Foundation staff at the Taita Taveta County TSC Director’s office. These findings highlight a critical opportunity: the need for deliberate, system-wide capacity building to move from incidental to intentional practice of values-based education. This includes equipping teachers, school leaders, and education officials with the tools, frameworks, and pedagogical strategies to integrate values into both academic instruction and school culture meaningfully. Ultimately, the Kenyan experience affirms a core insight familiar to VbE experts worldwide: education systems thrive when values are not only taught but lived. With strategic investment, consistent training, and sustained collaboration, schools can become powerful ecosystems of character formation—shaping the kind of citizens our societies urgently need. Clarifying the CBC-aligned values i.e. respect, responsibility, integrity, love, peace, social justice, and patriotism. This included definitions, indicators, and strategies for integration. Strengthening school-wide practices, such as value-based leadership, positive school climate, and co-curricular programming. Elevating learner agency, encouraging students to model, question, and reflect on moral issues in peer settings. Mobilizing stakeholders, recognizing parents, support staff, and community members as active agents in reinforcing values beyond the classroom. Notably, schools that engaged families and communities in organizing cultural festivals, tree-planting events and service-learning projects created impactful opportunities for learners to embody and experience shared values in real-world contexts. For resources on values-based education, please visit https://kicd.ac.ke/cbc-materials/values-based-education-materials/ @biftukarayu, @enockimani

August 19, 2025 - In Values-based Education By ALiVE Admin 0

Mainstreaming Values in Special Needs Education: Insights from Kenya’s VbE Baseline

As part of Kenya’s national Values-Based Education (VbE) initiative, a targeted effort was made to include 16 Special Needs Education (SNE) institutions in a broader baseline survey and capacity-building program, spanning 19 counties. This inclusion reflects a growing recognition that learners with special needs deserve equal opportunities to experience values-based learning environments that foster moral development, character formation, and holistic growth. In the Central and Eastern SNE cluster, over 200 learners across four institutions—Raimu Integrated School (Kirinyaga), Tumu Tumu School for the Hearing Impaired (Nyeri), Isiolo School for the Deaf (Isiolo), and Ikuu Special School (Tharaka Nithi)—participated in the study. These schools provided rich contextual insights into how values are expressed and reinforced among learners with hearing and intellectual disabilities. One of the most striking findings was the critical role of non-teaching staff, including dormitory matrons, caregivers, and patrons, in modelling and nurturing values such as empathy, respect, and responsibility. Learners consistently referenced support staff as central figures in shaping daily behaviour, particularly in unstructured settings or when teachers were not present. This underscores the importance of adopting a Whole School Approach (WSA) that recognizes every adult in the school environment as a values educator. While formal learner-leadership structures and co-curricular activities were present across all schools, the hidden curriculum, transmitted through daily interactions, emerged as the most influential source of values learning. However, gaps remain. Although values are embedded in curriculum frameworks, the intentional practice of values within the classroom and school culture remains limited. Visual cues promoting values were notably absent, and many educators reported that values education tends to be implicit rather than purposefully designed. To address this, a two-day training for 24 educators, heads of institutions, and curriculum support officers was held in Tharaka Nithi County, introducing participants to the WSA as a systemic strategy to embed values across all facets of school life. For many, this was their first exposure to the framework, and it prompted reflection on missed opportunities to model values consistently and meaningfully. A teacher from Tumu Tumu School reflected, “I’ve come to realize how our everyday interactions among staff become models for learners, we are always teaching, even outside the classroom.” A learner at Isiolo School for the Deaf echoed this sentiment: “Support staff shape how we behave every day, especially when teachers are not around.” Learners at Kuja Special School for the Deaf (Migori) draw maps representing population densities during a Social Studies lesson. These insights reinforce the need for a deliberate, inclusive, and system-wide approach to values education in SNE contexts, one that honours the diverse ways in which learners understand and internalize values, and that empowers all members of the school community to participate in the moral development of every child. In Western Kenya, ALiVE and KICD teams visited 4 special needs education institutions across four counties namely: Kuja Special School for the Deaf (Migori), Chekombero Primary and Junior Special School for the Hearing Impaired (Vihiga), St. Oda Primary and Junior Special School (Siaya) and Nalondo CBM Special School for the Physically Handicapped (Bungoma). These visits included classroom observations, focused group discussions with learners, and interviews with teachers and school leaders, to assess the integration of values within the SNE learning environments. While many learners demonstrated awareness of core values such as kindness, respect, and honesty, their ability to articulate or apply these independently remained limited. This was particularly evident among learners with hearing impairments, who often showed hesitation to participate in class discussions, highlighting the need for more inclusive and adaptive pedagogical strategies. Teachers emphasized the importance of patience, empathy, and inclusive communication when delivering values education to learners with disabilities. Practices such as positive reinforcement, role-playing, and experiential learning activities emerged as highly effective in helping learners internalize values. These findings underscore the need for capacity-building approaches that are grounded in both inclusive pedagogy and values integration. In the Coastal region, additional insights were gathered from Christ the King Maktau Special School in Taita Taveta County, where structural barriers—such as poor infrastructure and environmental hazards—further complicate the delivery of quality education. One teacher shared how classes are routinely interrupted by the threat of wild animals crossing the school grounds, putting mobility-impaired learners at risk and forcing staff to prioritize safety over learning. Despite these challenges, staff remain committed to embedding values into daily teaching, even under resource-constrained conditions. The baseline survey and the consequent monitoring established some disparities in communicating with SNE learners. Most of the VbE-focused materials shared to schools had the values written and explained using words. However, it was established that some SNE learners like those with mental and hearing impairments, would benefit more from visual messages like drawings. Similarly, those with visual impairment would also benefit more with braille-typed materials. Customized materials would not only enrich the learners interaction with values, but also reduce the burden of coding the values and their indicators from the shoulders of teachers and caregivers. At the conclusion of the visits, each school developed tailored action plans focused on four key areas: teacher training, mentorship, parental engagement, and community involvement. Participants emphasized the need for ongoing professional development, including peer learning opportunities and the consistent presence of sign language interpreters to ensure inclusive participation in future engagements. This phase of the VbE pilot illustrates a central truth in values education: success depends not only on structured lessons or curriculum design, but on creating inclusive, value-rich environments where every adult in the school community serves as a living model of the values we aim to cultivate in learners. In SNE contexts especially, intentional, inclusive, and context-responsive strategies are essential to ensuring that no learner is left behind in the journey toward holistic development. @walteronyango1, @karani15701, @polo_raynor

August 19, 2025 - In Values-based Education By ALiVE Admin 0

Beyond the Classroom: Values in Action at Madaraka Comprehensive School, Kenya

At Madaraka Comprehensive School in Nairobi County, a Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) practical lesson unfolds with rich, experiential learning at its core. In this cookery class, the air is filled with the aroma of grilled chicken and freshly kneaded chapatti, while the setting buzzes with learner-driven activity. Adorned in aprons and hats, some creatively improvised from shopping bags, students prepare meals in teams, showcasing both innovation and resourcefulness. This is more than a cooking lesson; it is a live demonstration of values-based education in action. Learners organize themselves and assign each other roles. Some are preparing ingredients, others are cleaning, while there is someone assigned to track the recipes. They are exhibiting high levels of communication, cooperation, empathy, and respect. In the process, they cultivate essential life skills such as turn-taking, responsibility, and appreciation for diversity in abilities while recognizing each other’s contribution. The moment of shared joy comes when the food is ready. “We don’t often eat chicken or fish at home,” one learner remarks. “But when we all contribute, we get to share and taste something special together.” Another proudly adds, “I didn’t know how to cook chicken before. Now I can, and I’ll be the chef at home this Christmas.” This vignette captures the essence of Kenya’s bold shift toward a more values-driven, learner-centred education system, one that recognizes that personal growth, social-emotional development, and ethical grounding are as essential as academic achievement. It demonstrates how curriculum reform, when intentionally infused with values, creates inclusive spaces for learners to thrive both in and beyond the classroom. @polo_raynor

August 19, 2025 - In Values-based Education By ALiVE Admin 0

ALiVE Joins Hands with KICD to Champion Values-based Education

In recognition of the central role that values play in shaping learners’ character and enabling them to thrive in diverse contexts, the Government of Kenya is institutionalizing Values-Based Education (VbE) across all levels of the education system. Grounded in the principles of competency-based education (CBE), this effort aims to integrate values such as integrity, empathy, responsibility, and respect into formal, informal and non-formal learning spaces. In March 2025, the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD), Zizi Afrique Foundation, and the Action for Life Skills and Values in East Africa (ALiVE) initiated a strategic partnership to support the systemic rollout of VbE. This collaboration leverages ALiVE’s expertise in the assessment and progression of life skills and values, alongside KICD’s leadership in curriculum design and implementation. The partnership has co-created a suite of instructional and training materials—including VbE resource books for teachers and school leaders, guides for parents, a training manual, and public-facing communication materials. These resources are designed to support teachers in embedding values meaningfully into daily classroom practice and to equip institutions with tools for character formation. A joint baseline study conducted ahead of the national pilot brought together a wide array of stakeholders, including teachers, learners, parents, curriculum support officers, Ministry of Education officials, the Teachers Service Commission, Kenya National Examinations Council, and civil society partners. The study included classroom observations, focus group discussions, and interviews to assess how values are currently reflected in learning environments. The findings informed the pre-pilot phase, which has so far reached over 1,000 learners in 80 schools, including both regular and special needs institutions across 19 counties. More than 400 teachers have been trained, and over 200 education officials sensitized. These efforts have laid the groundwork for a national pilot targeting Grades 4, 5, and 6 in Term 2, with participating schools receiving tailored VbE resources. This partnership reflects a shared commitment to embedding values at the heart of education reform in Kenya. It also demonstrates how cross-sector collaboration can strengthen the capacity of systems to deliver not just academic outcomes, but also the ethical and social foundations learners need to navigate and contribute to the world meaningfully. I would challenge all of us leaders, parents, teachers, learners and caregivers, to prioritize the values and preach it everywhere we go. Let us show it more in our character and speak about it in every gathering we are part of. Prof. Charles Ong’ondo CEO – KICD @polo_raynor

May 28, 2025 - In Stories of Change By ALiVE Admin 0

Influencing Government Systems for Holistic Education.

What influences decisions in government and increases intrinsic motivation for government officers to pursue holistic learning for all children? What makes it work better in some systems over others? Through our engagement with education systems across East Africa, ALiVE has learned that influencing government decisions is a complex and context-specific endeavour. Progress is rarely linear; it requires patience, adaptability, and a deep understanding of government action’s motivations and structures. Our progress has been uneven across our four jurisdictions (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania Mainland, and Zanzibar). However, promising entry points emerged, particularly within curriculum development and teacher training, where government actors have demonstrated an openness to collaboration. These breakthroughs underscore the importance of identifying and investing in the system’s most responsive areas. At the same time, it draws insights into the enablers, relational dynamics, and contextual factors that compel actions for systemic uptake and ownership across the region. In this blog post, we share some of the key learnings from ALiVE’s experiences in engaging government stakeholders as to what influences their decisions and increases their motivation to pursue holistic education for all children: Data-driven insights and successful case studies across the four Jurisdictions of our work (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania Mainland, and Zanzibar) have been crucial in opening spaces for meaningful engagement with government Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs). Using the findings from phase 1, Action for Life Skills and Values (ALiVE) has provided robust evidence and irrefutable data that has opened up access to government spaces and motivated deeper collaboration between government officials and the ALiVE initiative. Data-driven insights and successful case studies have also helped policymakers understand the potential benefits of adopting ALiVE strategies, providing tangible evidence of the initiatives’ positive impact on education outcomes. Some of these case studies include: the school and community immersions that aimed at gathering insights on how teachers, school leaders, parents, and the wider community are supporting the nurturing of values and developing skills among children, which helped policymakers understand the potential benefits of adopting ALiVE’s proposed strategies into the education system. Some of the strategies embraced and being spearheaded by government systems in the four jurisdictions include the collaborative development of evidence-based learning progressions (in Tanzania and Uganda), the Value-based education pilot (in Kenya), the large scale assessment of learners in grade three using a collaboratively developed contextualized tool (in Zanzibar), integration of life skills and values in teacher training (in Kenya) and capacity enhancements for curriculum and assessment specialists (in Uganda, Tanzania Mainland and Zanzibar). Other initiatives that have seen strong support from system actors include developing modules and resource materials for nurturing life skills and values across the region and the collaborative research initiative with curriculum institutions, regional universities, and the teacher service commission (for the case of Kenya). A key lesson is that evidence-based research demonstrating the potential benefits of specific interventions or policies encourages government participation and engagement in the collective pursuit of holistic learning for all children. However, the challenge lies in maintaining momentum and securing long-term government buy-in, particularly as priorities and stakeholders’ interests evolve. As we dive deeper into pursuing impact at scale, we strive for credible data and evidence to sustain the effect of the ALiVE initiative across the region, even as we engage with the evidence to inform policy and practice around competence-based education. It underscores the importance of understanding and responding to the priorities and goals of key stakeholders, ultimately strengthening partnerships and maximizing the effectiveness of collaborative initiatives. Navigating complex bureaucratic structures, overcoming potential resistance to change, and ensuring sustained government engagement and buy-in over the long term remain daily challenges in ALiVE. However, our engagements with the education systems across the three East African countries of Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania have shown that aligning ALiVE activities with government priorities and ongoing initiatives increases motivation for collaboration. Reading into government priorities and responding to the prioritized strategic goals of the education systems enhanced buy-in from the system actors, such that, it is not unusual to find directors, commission secretaries, and commissioners commit to 3 whole-day meetings facilitated by ALiVE technical teams targeting specific aspects of work that are of interest to the system and support holistic learning for all children. In some cases, our role ended as conversation starters, and government departments steered the conversation further, taking strategic decisions and actions that furthered the initiative to deliver on heights. Examples of such cases include the value-based education pilot in Kenya by KICD, enhancing the implementation of CBC through lesson planning in Uganda by NCDC, and developing skills frameworks for prioritized skills in the national curriculum in Zanzibar by ZIE. The main focus of Action for Life Skills and Values (ALiVE), is integrating life skills and values assessment into curriculum, pedagogy, assessment, and teacher training, for holistic child development across the education systems of three East African Countries. This systems-level work involves a comprehensive methodology of clarifying vision, conducting a systems-wide analysis, identifying key levers within the system, envisioning future changes, establishing existing capacity within the collaborative to respond to the identified need, while developing the strategy for delivering the system change ambition along with learning approaches. Identifying areas where ALiVE can add value to existing government efforts in a diversified way, such as developing learning progressions for skills in upper primary and lower secondary school grade levels in Uganda, working with teacher training colleges in Kenya, and reviewing the curriculum for teacher training in Zanzibar, are all examples of how ALiVE read into the government’s priorities and aligned the program to respond to the need of the education system in each country. The process adopts a partnership model that involves co-designing initiatives from beginning to end. The approach has increasingly positioned ALiVE as a government ally. As such, we have collaboratively co-designed assessment tools for classroom use, co-developed and piloted nurturing approaches for value-based education, and co-developed training modules for teacher training institutions. Throughout these processes, ALiVE has learnt that governments are motivated by initiatives that foster solid alliances and collaborative relationships