KICD Wins Best Governance Award and Named Africa’s Top Public Institution

The Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) was named the Champion of the Best Governance Award for the Education and Education Services Sector Players category at the 15th Champions of Governance Awards Gala Dinner on October 30.

The ceremony, organised by the Institute of Certified Secretaries (ICS) Kenya, also saw KICD Council Chairperson Prof. Simon Gicharu placed as First Runner-Up for the Chairmanship of the Year Award 2026.

In June 2026, President William Ruto recognised the institute as the best-performing state corporation for the 2024/2025 financial year, citing a performance index of 4.746, an improvement on the 4.498 recorded for 2023/2024.

KICD has retained a ‘Very Excellent’ rating in performance contracting for three consecutive financial years, underscoring consistent service delivery and institutional accountability.

At the 2026 Africa Public Sector Conference and Awards in Accra, Ghana, the institute received the Africa’s Best Public Institution of the Year award together with commendations for its curriculum development and educational innovation, building on a 2025 accolade in Cape Town for inclusive technology use in education.

Prof. Gicharu said the latest honour carries great responsibility, noting that KICD’s mandate to develop, review, vet and approve curricula for all levels below university means “if KICD gets it wrong, the whole country is messed up,” and pledged continued collaboration with management and staff under the Competency-Based Education framework.

CEO Prof. Charles Ong’ondo attributed the growing recognition to the collective effort of the council, management, employees and partners, urging staff to maintain momentum as the awards reflect their professionalism and dedication.

The institute’s remit spans early years, primary, secondary, special needs, adult, non-formal, teacher education and TVET, and it has been central to Kenya’s shift to Competency-Based Education, supporting the Junior School rollout through Grade 9 and the first senior cohort beginning Grade 10 in January 2026.

Recent milestones include the approval of Grade 12 curriculum designs and the coordination of Grade 11 textbook distribution to public senior schools ahead of the January 2027 rollout.

Digital initiatives such as the Kenya Education Cloud, the EDU TV Channel and interactive radio lessons expand learning resources to areas with limited internet, complementing classroom instruction and supporting the CBE emphasis on practical and creative learning.

On October 8, 2025, the Public Service Commission approved KICD’s Human Resource Management and Governance Instruments, 2025, providing a framework for improved staff administration, while an unmodified audit opinion for the 2023/2024 financial year affirmed sound financial reporting.

In August, the KICD Staff Choir was named Best Institutional Staff Choir at the 98th Kenya Music Festival State Concert, adding a cultural accolade to the institute’s list of achievements.