Reimagining Assessment and Learning for National Development: The Role of School-Based Assessment and Project-Based Learning in Zambia’s Competency Based Education

As Zambia embraces Competency-Based Education (CBE), the role of School-Based Assessments (SBAs) and Project-Based Learning (PBL) becomes increasingly central to aligning education with national development priorities. This article examines SBA and PBL as transformative assessment and pedagogical strategies, drawing from the newly written textbook 21st-Centuary Teacher Education: A Competency-Based Education Approach. These strategies move beyond examination-driven learning to promote creativity, innovation, and community engagement-skills crucial for realising Zambia’s Vision 2030 and beyond. Through authentic, contextually relevant learning and assessments, SBA and PBL have the potential to transform classroom activities into catalysts of national development, gender equity, entrepreneurship, and sustainable livelihoods.