PARENTS AS PARTNERS IN EDUCATION: UNDERSTANDING THEIR ENGAGEMENT IN COMPETENCY-BASED CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTATION IN PUBLIC PRIMARY SCHOOLS – THE CASE OF NAKURU COUNTY, KENYA

Authors

  • John Karanja Ranji Moi University, Eldoret, Kenya
  • Sammy Chumba Moi University, Eldoret, Kenya
  • Susan Kurgat Moi University, Eldoret, Kenya

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.46827/ejes.v12i8.6101

Keywords:

parental engagement, partners, competency-based curriculum, CBC implementation

Abstract

Active participation of parents as co-educators in their children’s learning and holistic development is among the guiding principles of Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) in primary schools in Kenya. This study examined the influence of parental engagement on the implementation of the CBC in public primary schools in Nakuru County, Kenya. Guided by Epstein's Framework of Six Types of Parental Involvement, the study investigated how three dimensions of parental engagement—participatory decision-making, resourcing, volunteering and linkages, and school-home-based learning and development processes—affect CBC implementation. The study employed a convergent parallel mixed-methods design. Data were collected from 211 parents, 13 teachers, and 10 PTA representatives through questionnaires, interviews, and focus group discussions, respectively. The questionnaire's face and content validity were established through expert judgment, and its reliability was assessed using Cronbach's alpha coefficient. Trustworthiness was ensured during the qualitative data generation procedures: transferability, confirmability, credibility, and dependability. The quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression, while qualitative data underwent thematic analysis. The findings revealed a moderate positive correlation (r = .423, p < 0.05) between parental engagement and CBC implementation, with these engagement dimensions explaining 17.9% of the variation in implementation success. Specifically, parental involvement in participatory decision-making (β=.241, p<0.05) and school-home-based learning strategies (β=.244, p<0.05) had statistically significant positive effects on CBC implementation, while resourcing, volunteering, and linkages showed no significant impact (β=.006, p>0.05). Qualitative data highlighted persistent challenges, including limited awareness of parental roles, socioeconomic constraints, and communication gaps between schools and families. The study concludes that meaningful parental engagement, particularly in school governance and home-based learning support, significantly enhances CBC implementation. It recommends that educational stakeholders develop targeted national strategies to increase parental awareness, revise teacher training programs to emphasize family-school partnerships, and create structured platforms for active parental participation in school-level decision-making processes.

 

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Author Biographies

  • John Karanja Ranji, Moi University, Eldoret, Kenya

    John Karanja Ranji is a PhD student taking Education Research and Evaluation at the Department of Educational Management and Policy Studies, School of Education, Moi University, Kenya, under the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) scholarship and the South African-German Centre for Excellence in Education Research Methodologies and Management (CERM-ESA). He holds a Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood and Primary Education) and a Master’s Degree in Education Research, both from Moi University, Kenya. His research interests include educational policies and research methodologies, with a focus on early childhood and primary education, aimed at advancing evidence-based educational practices and policy development.

  • Sammy Chumba, Moi University, Eldoret, Kenya

    Sammy Chumba is an Associate Professor and holds a PhD in Educational Management. He taught Chemistry and Mathematics and served as High School Principal in various schools before joining Moi University in the year 2008. Since then, he has taught Educational Management and Research courses both at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels, inclined towards quantitative methods. Currently, he is the Associate Dean in the School of Postgraduate Studies, Research and Innovation.

  • Susan Kurgat, Moi University, Eldoret, Kenya

    Susan Kurgat is an Associate Professor of Education at Moi University, specializing in innovative pedagogies and teacher development. With over 17 years of experience in educational research and practice, she focuses on developing effective teaching methodologies that enhance student engagement and learning outcomes in diverse classroom settings. She holds a PhD in Educational Technology from Moi University. She teaches both undergraduate and postgraduate students. She supervises and examines postgraduate students at Moi University. She is an external examiner and a reviewer of journal articles. She is the project coordinator of the East and South-African German Centre of Excellence in Educational Research Methodologies and Management (CERM-ESA) in Kenya. Her current researches focus on pedagogies of teaching, teacher development and parental involvement in curriculum implementation in Kenya.

    ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0001-2798-1828

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Published

2025-06-29

Issue

Vol. 12 No. 8 (2025)

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