Teacher Preparedness and Learners' Creativity

Despite the nationwide rollout of Competency-Based Education (CBE) in Kenya, many junior school learners continue to exhibit limited creativity, relying heavily on rote memorization. This article examines the influence of teacher preparedness on the enhancement of learners' creativity among public junior schools in Nyeri County. Anchored in Constructivist Learning Theory (Piaget and Vygotsky), the study adopted a descriptive survey design. The target population comprised 389 public junior schools, 389 heads of institutions, 1,560 teachers and 13,200 learners. Using stratified, purposive and simple random sampling, a sample of 39 heads of institutions, 156 teachers and 307 learners (N = 502) was selected. Data were collected through structured questionnaires administered to teachers and learners and semi-structured interviews with heads of institutions. It concludes that teacher preparedness is a significant determinant of creativity enhancement under CBE. It recommends that the Ministry of Education, Teachers Service Commission and Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development institutionalize sustained, school-based continuous professional development focused on creativity-oriented pedagogies and assessment.