Examining the Level of Teacher Motivation in the Implementation of the Competency-Based Curriculum in Junior Public Schools, Busia County, Kenya

Abstract

The successful rollout of Kenya's Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) depends heavily on the motivation of the teachers charged with delivering it in the classroom. Drawn from a broader mixed-methods study on teacher attitude and motivation in CBC implementation, this article reports findings addressing the specific objective of examining the level of teacher motivation for CBC implementation in public junior schools in Busia County, Kenya. Anchored on Herzberg's Two-Factor Theory of Motivation, the study adopted a concurrent mixed-methods design, drawing quantitative data from 240 junior school teachers, alongside qualitative data from key informant interviews with Heads of Institution and Education Officers and focus group discussions with teachers. Quantitative results showed a moderately high overall level of teacher motivation (M = 3.66, SD = 0.82, CV = 22.40%), with collaboration among colleagues recording the highest mean score (M = 3.89) and investment of extra time in CBC preparation recording the lowest (M = 3.48). Frequency analysis showed that CBC training was the strongest reported driver of motivation, with 59.6% of teachers agreeing or strongly agreeing that it had increased their motivation, while incentives and recognition were the weakest, drawing agreement from only 22.9% of respondents. Qualitative findings corroborated these patterns, revealing that teacher motivation was sustained mainly by intrinsic commitment to learner development rather than by extrinsic reward, and was under continuous threat from workload intensification and limited institutional recognition. The study concludes that teacher motivation for CBC implementation in Busia County is moderate, intrinsically anchored, and structurally fragile. It recommends institutional and policy interventions, including workload rationalisation, structured recognition systems, and sustained, practice-oriented professional development, to safeguard and strengthen teacher motivation for the effective implementation of CBC in junior schools.