Every CBTE Programme Needs a Continuity Covenant

A learner enters a competence-based programme through a Bible college and a local church. An academic mentor guides theological study, a ministry mentor observes practice and a personal mentor accompanies spiritual formation. Evidence is stored on a digital platform, while an external arrangement supports assessment or recognition.

Then one part of the system fails. The Bible college closes, a partner withdraws, a mentor becomes unavailable, the platform disappears or the recognition arrangement changes. The learner has genuine formation evidence but no clear path to completion, transfer or verification.

Distributed education creates access by connecting several contributors. It also creates several points at which an educational promise can break. Learner protection therefore requires more than complaints and appeals while a programme is operating. It requires continuity before crisis.

Competency-Based Theological Education (CBTE) organises theological learning around demonstrated competencies, contextual learning and mentoring. It is used in Bible colleges, seminaries and university degree programmes. This article focuses on Bible-college and church-based formation; that focus is not a restriction on the international meaning of CBTE. Kenya’s broader occupational Competency-Based Education and Training (CBET) framework is a related but distinct policy context. ICETE’s CBTE standards.

Every CBTE programme needs a continuity covenant: a public and operational account of how learners, evidence, records, recognition and formation relationships will be protected when the original pathway can no longer continue as planned.