From Policy to Practice: Stakeholders’ Perspectives on the Implementation of Zambia's 2023 Competency-Based Assessment Reforms

Abstract

The 2023 Zambia Education Curriculum Framework introduced a Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) whose implementation commenced in 2025, accompanied by associated assessment reforms that emphasise learner-centred approaches and practical skills development. This study examines stakeholder perspectives on the implementation challenges and enablers of these competency-based assessment reforms. Drawing on qualitative document analysis, systematic literature synthesis, and primary fieldwork conducted in Mpika District of Muchinga Province, the study collected data from 84 participants: 40 teachers, 10 head teachers, 2 District Education Standards Officers, 2 Examinations Council of Zambia (ECZ) officers, and 30 learners drawn from 10 selected primary and secondary schools. Findings reveal that stakeholders view the reforms positively in principle recognising the CBC’s potential to bridge theory and practice but report significant obstacles, including teacher preparedness gaps, resource shortages, and the complexity of competency-based evaluation. Teachers and head teachers express concern about increased workload and unclear assessment guidelines, while ECZ emphasises the need to align assessment systems with the CBC through intensive capacity building. The study concludes that Zambia’s competency-based assessment reforms can succeed only if accompanied by coherent implementation strategies and sustained investment in human and material resources.