Ms Dorcas Wangui Wamuyu, ECDE teacher, Manguo Primary school and student at Mount Kenya university.
MKU student Builds Model CBC Classroom, Inspires Future of Early Learning
A teacher in Laikipia County is making waves for creating a model classroom for Early Childhood Development and Education (ECDE).
Mount Kenya University (MKU) student Dorcas Wangui Wamuyu has designed an innovative Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) classroom at Manguo Primary School near Nyahururu town, giving young learners a chance to experience real-life situations right inside the classroom.
From the outside, the building looks like any other classroom. But step inside, and you’ll find a world of discovery. Dorcas has set up what she calls a one-stop hub — complete with spaces for meals, houses, shopping malls, nutrition, and even a numbers corner.
Children here are exposed to practical lessons that prepare them for real life. Imagine a child in rural Kenya learning how to use an Automated Teller Machine (ATM) card — a device used in banking for withdrawals, deposits, and balance checks. What sounds like a dream is part of Dorcas’ daily lesson plan.
“All that you see here is a result of the quality learning I have gained at MKU. The lecturers encourage us to think beyond the classroom and create real solutions that make learning better,” she said.
Her creativity has impressed local education officials. Laikipia County Ward ECDE Coordinator Rahab Njaramba, who also supervises Dorcas, praised the initiative:
“Children enjoy learning here because the environment is very engaging. They see, they touch, and they learn. This classroom is both fun and informative — truly a model for the future,” she said.
The county is now considering replicating similar CBC classrooms, with Dorcas expected to train other teachers on her approach. Already, ECDE teachers in the ward are benchmarking at Manguo Primary. “We recently held a materials development day here. The other nursery schools may not be at this level yet, but they are catching up,” added Ms. Njaramba.
Dr. Boniface Kamau, Head of Special Needs and ECDE at MKU, noted that Dorcas’ creativity is helping children develop critical thinking and teamwork — key pillars of CBC learning. “Such practical skills should cascade from ECDE through Grade 1 to Senior Secondary and even university,” he said.
Laikipia County ECDE Director Isil Aden revealed that the county’s 450 ECDE centres are now borrowing ideas from Manguo Primary. “What is being showcased here is a true reflection of what ECDE teachers can achieve when empowered,” she said.
Dorcas credits MKU for inspiring her vision: “They have opened my mind, taught me to think outside the box, and empowered me to be creative.”
Her model classroom not only redefines early learning in Laikipia but also sets the stage for a broader transition from Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) to Competency-Based Education (CBE) in Kenya — a system that emphasizes real-world skills, assessment, infrastructure, and teacher training across all levels of education.
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