REDEFINING HUMAN CAPITAL IN KENYA: A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF CURRICULUM REFORMS IN THE 2023 PRESIDENTIAL WORKING PARTY REPORT

Authors

  • Jane Kere Imbunya Dr., School of Education, Kaimosi Friends University, Kenya

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.46827/ejes.v13i6.6730

Keywords:

human capital development, Kenya, PWPER 2023, competency-based education, university reforms, curriculum, TVET

Abstract

Human capital development (HCD) is universally recognized as a primary catalyst for economic growth and social transformation. In Kenya, despite significant expansion in higher education enrollment, concerns regarding the quality and employability of graduates have necessitated systemic reforms. This paper analyzes the Report of the Presidential Working Party on Education Reform (PWPER, 2023) through the lens of Human Capital Theory. Specifically, it examines the implications of the proposed shift to Competency-Based Education and Training (CBET), the restructuring of university governance, and the implementation of a new funding model on the development of a skilled Kenyan workforce. Drawing on data from the report and supporting literature, the study argues that while the PWPER recommendations provide a robust framework for aligning university outputs with labor market demands, the success of these human capital strategies is contingent upon sustainable financing and the mitigation of infrastructural deficits.

Author Biography

  • Jane Kere Imbunya, Dr., School of Education, Kaimosi Friends University, Kenya

    Jane Kere Imbunya is a highly accomplished scholar, curriculum expert, university administrator, researcher and policy specialist with over twenty (20) years’ experience in higher education, curriculum studies, teacher education, quality assurance, educational leadership, research supervision and institutional management across Kenya and Botswana.

References

Becker, G. S. (1964). Human Capital: A Theoretical and Empirical Analysis, with Special Reference to Education. University of Chicago Press. Retrieved from https://www.nber.org/system/files/chapters/c3730/c3730.pdf

International Labour Organization (ILO). (2021). Skills for Inclusive Growth: The Role of TVET and Skills Development. Geneva: ILO.

Kezar, A. J., & Eckel, P. D. (2002). The effect of institutional culture on change strategies in higher education: Universal principles or culturally responsive concepts? The Journal of Higher Education, 73(4), 435–460. https://www.jstor.org/stable/1558422

Lucas, R. E. (1988). On the mechanics of economic development. Journal of Monetary Economics, 22(1), 3-42. https://doi.org/10.1016/0304-3932(88)90168-7

OECD. (2019). Working Better with AI: The Implications of Artificial Intelligence for the Future of Work and the Workforce. Paris: OECD Publishing.

Presidential Working Party on Education Reform (PWPER). (2023). Transforming Education, Training and Research for Sustainable Development in Kenya. Report submitted to His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Kenya. Nairobi: Government Printer.

Schultz, T. W. (1961). Investment in human capital. The American Economic Review, 51(1), 1–17. Retrieved from https://www.jstor.org/stable/1818907

World Bank. (2022). Kenya Economic Update: Rising Tides – Kenya’s Uneven Change of Fortunes. Washington, DC: World Bank Group. Retrieved from https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/kenya/publication/kenya-economic-update-keu

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Published

2026-05-18

Issue

Vol. 13 No. 6 (2026)

Section

Articles

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