Abstract:
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.
