# What is competency-based education?

> Competency-based education moves learners on when they show they can do something, not after a set time. Here's how it works and how it's assessed.

Learn · Glossary

Competency-based education (CBE) moves learners forward when they can show they've mastered a skill or competency, rather than after a fixed amount of time in class.

- Page: https://sparkmentis.ai/learn/competency-based-education

## How it's assessed

- Clear competencies, each with evidence of mastery
- Continuous, practical assessment instead of one final exam
- Rubrics describing what mastery looks like
- Records per learner, per competency

## Where it's used

Vocational training has long been competency-based. School systems are moving that way too; Kenya's curriculum reform is one example, and India's NEP 2020 asks for more competency-based assessment.

## Questions

**Is CBE the same as mastery learning?**

They're close: both move on when a skill is mastered.

**What tools does CBE need?**

Good rubrics and a way to record evidence per learner.

## Related

- [What is continuous assessment?](https://sparkmentis.ai/learn/continuous-assessment.md): Glossary
- [SparkMentis in Kenya](https://sparkmentis.ai/markets/kenya.md)
- [Practical skills assessment](https://sparkmentis.ai/features/practical-skills-assessment.md): Spark-VT

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