REFORMING SERVICE DELIVERY AND PRODUCTIVITY IN THE PUBLIC SERVICE THROUGH COMPETENCY-BASED EDUCATION AND TRAINING IN KENYA
Abstract
Statement of the Problem: Public service reforms in Kenya have increasingly focused on enhancing efficiency, accountability, productivity, and citizen-centered service delivery. Despite numerous reform initiatives, including performance contracting, Results-Based Management (RBM), and the digitization of government services, persistent challenges such as bureaucratic inefficiencies, inadequate skills, weak institutional capacity, and limited responsiveness continue to undermine effective public service delivery.
Purpose of the Study: This paper examines the role of Competency-Based Education and Training (CBET) as a transformative strategy for reforming service delivery and improving productivity within Kenya’s public service sector.
Methodology: Drawing from Human Capital Theory, Competency Theory, and New Public Management (NPM) literature, the paper reviews empirical and theoretical literature on competency-based approaches in Kenya’s education and training systems. The review focuses on their implications for workforce development and their potential contribution to public sector efficiency.
Findings: The study finds that CBET provides an appropriate framework for aligning public service skills with contemporary governance demands and labor market realities. It further establishes that competency-oriented training can enhance workforce productivity, strengthen service responsiveness, and support performance-driven public administration. Nonetheless, implementation is constrained by inadequate institutional preparedness, resistance to change, funding limitations, and limited trainer competencies.
Conclusion: The study concludes that CBET can support sustainable public sector transformation in Kenya by equipping public servants with practical competencies that enhance accountability, efficiency, responsiveness, and productivity.
Recommendation: The paper recommends the integration of CBET into public service human resource development, strengthening of institutional capacity, improvement of trainer competencies, and alignment of competency-based training with performance management systems.
Keywords: Reforming, Service Delivery, Productivity, Public Service, Competency-Based Education
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