Pupil’s Creativity and Achievement Goals under the Competency-Based Curriculum in Public Primary Schools in Kisii-Central Sub-County, Kisii, Kenya

The Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) in Kenya emphasizes the development of practical skills, critical thinking, and creativity, shifting away from traditional content-based education. Despite this focus, the relationship between pupils’ creativity and their achievement goals under the CBC remains underexplored. This study examined the relationship between pupils’ creativity and their achievement goals in public primary schools in Kisii-Central Sub-County, Kenya. The study was guided by the Divergent Theory of Creativity and employed a correlational research design. The target population consisted of 3,923 Grade 6 pupils from 75 public primary schools in Kisii-Central Sub-County. A sample of 350 pupils was selected using stratified and simple random sampling techniques. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire designed to measure pupils’ creativity, with achievement goals assessed using school-based CBC assessment scores. The findings revealed a statistically significant negative relationship between creativity and achievement goals (r = -0.241, p < 0.01), indicating that pupils with higher creativity levels tend to set lower achievement goals. This result challenges conventional assumptions about the role of creativity in achievement goals and suggests that creative pupils may prioritize skill mastery and intrinsic motivation over external performance metrics. The study recommends that educators and policymakers revise assessment frameworks to better capture and reward creativity, ensuring that creative pupils are supported in balancing their innovative approaches with measurable academic outcomes.

Creativity, Achievement Goals, Competency-Based Curriculum, Public Primary Schools

1. Ajzen, I. (2002). Perceived behavioral control, self-efficacy, locus of control, and the theory of planned behavior. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 32(4), 665–683. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

2. Beghetto, R. A., & Kaufman, J. C. (2014). Classroom contexts for creativity: A systematic observational study. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 12, 1–13. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

3. Beghetto, R. A., & Kaufman, J. C. (2018). Nurturing creativity in the classroom. Cambridge University Press. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

4. Best, J. W., & Kahn, J. V. (2006). Research in education (10th ed.). Pearson. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

5. Bronfenbrenner, U. (1979). The ecology of human development: Experiments by nature and design. Harvard University Press. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

6. Cooper, D. R., & Schindler, P. S. (2003). Business research methods (8th ed.). McGraw-Hill. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

7. Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (4th ed.). SAGE. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

8. Daumiller, M., Dickhäuser, O., Hein, J., & Dresel, M. (2021). Gender differences in academic self-concept, intrinsic value, and utility value: A meta-analysis. Educational Psychology Review, 33(1), 1–34. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

9. Gajda, A., Karwowski, M., & Beghetto, R. A. (2017). Creativity and academic achievement: A meta-analysis. Journal of Educational Psychology, 109(1), 1–12. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

10. Guilford, J. P. (1950). Creativity. American Psychologist, 5(9), 444–454. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

11. KICD. (2017). Competency-Based Curriculum framework. Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

12. Kituu, M., Mwangi, J., & Mutweleli, S. (2022). The influence of core competencies nurtured in the Competency-Based Curriculum on creativity as a learning outcome among Grade 4 pupils in Makueni County, Kenya. Journal of Educational Research, 15(2), 45–60. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

13. Lee, J., Lee, S., & Bong, M. (2018). Achievement goals and academic engagement: A meta-analytic review. Educational Psychologist, 53(3), 153–174. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

14. Marsh, H. W. (1990). The structure of academic self-concept: The Marsh/Shavelson model. Journal of Educational Psychology, 82(4), 623–634. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

15. Mulenga, I. M., & Kadombwe, M. (2019). Challenges and opportunities in the implementation of the Competency-Based Curriculum in Kenya. African Educational Research Journal, 7(2), 112–125. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

16. Orodho, J. A. (2016). Elements of education and social science research methods (4th ed.). Kanezja Publishers. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

17. Palmer, J. (2017). The Competency-Based Curriculum in Kenya: A paradigm shift in education. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 49(3), 345–362. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

18. Puente-Díaz, R., & Cavazos-Arroyo, J. (2017). Creative mindset and achievement goals: A study of Mexican business students. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 24, 1–10. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

19. Runco, M. A., & Jaeger, G. J. (2012). The standard definition of creativity. Creativity Research Journal, 24(1), 92–96. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

20. Vallerand, R. J., Pelletier, L. G., Blais, M. R., Brière, N. M., Senécal, C., & Vallières, E. F. (1992). The Academic Motivation Scale: A measure of intrinsic, extrinsic, and amotivation in education. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 52(4), 1003–1017. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

• Assessment of the Role of Artificial Intelligence in Repositioning TVET for Economic Development in Nigeria
• Teachers’ Use of Assure Model Instructional Design on Learners’ Problem Solving Efficacy in Secondary Schools in Bungoma County, Kenya
• “E-Booksan Ang Kaalaman”: Development, Validation, and Utilization of Electronic Book in Academic Performance of Grade 9 Students in Social Studies
• Analyzing EFL University Students’ Academic Speaking Skills Through Self-Recorded Video Presentation
• Major Findings of The Study on Total Quality Management in Teachers’ Education Institutions (TEIs) In Assam – An Evaluative Study