Teacher Preparedness for Life Skills and Character Formation in Implementation of Competence Based Education in Catholic-Sponsored Public Primary Schools in Ngong, Kajiado North SubCounty, Kenya

This study examined teacher preparedness of teachers for the implementation of Competency-Based Education (CBE) in Catholic-Sponsored Public Primary Schools (CSPPS) in Ngong, Kajiado North Sub-County, Kenya. This study was guided by the Concerns-Based Adoption Model (CBAM). The study adopted a convergent parallel mixed-methods design in which quantitative and qualitative data were collected concurrently, analysed separately, and integrated during interpretation. From a target population of 1,339 individuals, the study selected a planned sample size of 400 respondents, comprising 346 learners and 54 adults. Findings revealed that, institutional structures, implementation plans, monitoring frameworks, and assessment tools were relatively well established. However, teachers’ confidence in the adequacy of their training remained of concern. Slightly above average of the teacher respondents were uncertain whether they had received adequate training to implement CBE effectively, while 40.9% disagreed that they were adequately trained. These findings indicated a gap between institutional readiness and teachers’ perceived preparedness to translate CBE policies into classroom practice. Hypothesis testing further established a significant positive relationship between teacher preparedness and best practices (r = .48–.72, p < .001), supporting the research hypothesis. The study concluded that effective CBE implementation required more than institutional structures and assessment frameworks; it also depended on teachers’ knowledge, skills, and confidence. The study therefore recommended differentiated, continuous, and practice-oriented professional development, supported by mentoring and classroom-based follow-up, to strengthen teachers’ preparedness and improve the implementation of CBE. Key Words: Teacher Preparedness; Competency-Based Education (CBE); Catholic-Sponsored Public Primary Schools (CSPPS); Life Skills; Character Formation