Sharp school wins national award for career and workforce readiness
The Mt Kenya Times 
Dr Paul Wanjohi
The Nairobi institution’s competency-based approach earns second place at the Global Peace Foundation’s education recognition awards
By John Kariuki
Sharp Education Centre and Junior School has been recognised as one of Kenya’s outstanding learning institutions, finishing second in the Career Development and Workforce Readiness category at a national awards ceremony organised by the Global Peace Foundation.
The award acknowledged the school’s effective implementation of Competency-Based Education, a curriculum framework that emphasises the practical application of knowledge and skills over rote learning and examination performance alone.
Speaking to the media after the ceremony, school Director Dr Paul Wanjohi said career pathways and the development of genuine competencies form an essential foundation for national progress. He argued that a country advances when its people can apply knowledge, produce goods, deliver services, solve problems and create opportunities — and that education carries a direct responsibility to help every learner discover and develop their abilities into a meaningful contribution to society.
Wanjohi said career guidance in schools should go well beyond the familiar question of what a child wants to be when they grow up. It should help learners understand their interests, identify their strengths and connect their classroom learning to the real demands of the world of work. A learner drawn to agriculture, he said, should begin to see the connections between science, food production, technology, business and environmental conservation. A learner interested in construction should appreciate the roles of mathematics, design, safety and teamwork. Those drawn to healthcare should develop scientific understanding alongside compassion and communication. Such exposure, he said, broadens learners’ understanding of what success looks like and affirms the dignity of professional, technical, vocational, creative and entrepreneurial careers equally.
On competencies, Wanjohi drew a clear distinction between knowing and doing. Knowing a scientific principle is valuable, he said, but using it to investigate a real water problem makes that knowledge useful. Understanding mathematics matters, but applying it to prepare a budget or analyse business costs demonstrates genuine competence. He highlighted critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, collaboration, creativity, digital literacy and self-management as the core abilities that learners need across all career paths — and insisted these must be accompanied by integrity, responsibility and respect for others. A technically skilled person who lacks honesty, he noted, can undermine an entire institution. Capability and character must develop together.
Wanjohi also challenged schools to use community problems as the starting point for purposeful learning. Rather than studying solely to obtain certificates, he said, learners should be encouraged to observe their surroundings, ask questions, investigate challenges and propose practical responses — whether in water conservation, waste management, food production or improved local services. Through guided projects requiring research, planning, budgeting and teamwork, learners begin to understand how ideas become solutions and how solutions can generate social and economic value.
He was careful to caution against placing the entire burden of employment outcomes on graduates alone. Schools need genuine partnerships with families, businesses, government and community organisations to provide mentorship and practical exposure. He called on schools to engage local artisans, farmers, health professionals and entrepreneurs as partners who can help learners see the living relationship between what they study and how the world actually works.
For Sharp Education Centre and Junior School, the award affirms that getting this relationship right — between early career awareness, practical competence and responsible citizenship — is precisely what education is for.
Similar Posts by The Mt Kenya Times:
- Mt Kenya Times ePAPER October 6, 2026
- Maraga takes anti-graft pledge to diaspora as US lobby group backs his 2027 bid
- Kenya’s gender election crisis: Will 2027 finally break the deadlock?
- Ruto pledges 50,000 teacher promotions and new career framework within two weeks
- Maharagwe number tatu: Decoding Chuka University’s campus food language
About the Author
