School leadership and competency-based assessment for learners with disabilities in Kenya: A focused documentary review

Abstract

Competency-based assessment (CBA) requires teachers to gather and interpret evidence of learning, including through adaptations for learners with disabilities. This focused documentary review examines implementation difficulties in Kenya and the school leadership functions relevant to addressing them. It synthesizes 12 recent scholarly sources (2021–2026), alongside official assessment and policy documents, using policy enactment theory to distinguish professional, material, situated and external conditions. The secondary studies reviewed identify concerns relating to teacher preparation, assessment adaptation, specialized resources, workload and coordination. Evidence from disability-focused studies is considered separately from broader research on competency-based curriculum implementation. School leadership may support professional learning, instructional guidance, resource prioritization and coordination, but these functions operate within staffing, funding and national assessment constraints. The targeted search provides a synthesis of patterns in the reviewed literature, rather than an exhaustive account of the evidence. Further empirical research is needed on leadership and disability-responsive CBA in Kenyan schools.