CBC’s future hangs in the balance
Grade Five pupils at Molo Academy Primary School in Nakuru County revise outside their classroom ahead of the Competency-Based Curriculum Assessment on February 1, 2022.
Public views on the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) will inform the Kenya Kwanza government’s position on the new education system.
According to the Kenya Kwanza education charter, signed by President William Ruto during campaigns, his government will review the curriculum after public participation.
“To facilitate the seamless academic progression of learners, the Kenya Kwanza administration commits to review the current exam-based system of academic progression, which has excluded millions of learners based on basic education level exit exams by implementing alternative entry criteria,” reads the charter.
A member of the charter committee told the Nation that one of the issues that parents and teachers raised during campaigns is the implementation of CBC without involving them.
Whether or not the country will reverted to 8-4-4 will be subject to the recommendations that parents and teachers will raise during public participation forums to be rolled out soon, said the committee member.
“The complaints we received were that teachers have not been well trained on CBC and parents are being burdened,” revealed the member. Parents have taken issue with what they see as unrealistic and expensive assignments given to children.
So far, Dr Ruto has not categorically said he will scrap CBC, but he has consistently said the curriculum will be reviewed when he takes power.
During the launch of the education charter, Dr Ruto said the aim for the review is to have an education system that meets the requirements of the future.
“Our education should move in the direction of not just knowledge and exams, it should move in the direction of knowledge, skills, competencies and values,” said Dr Ruto. He also noted that the current curriculum has been implemented for over five years, hence the need to review it as per Unesco recommendations.
Speaking in Bungoma County a week ago, Dr Ruto said all promises by Kenya Kwanza, including a review on the CBC, would be implemented.
Former nominated MP Wilson Sossion, a key member of the Dr Ruto team, has said CBC implementation was rushed.
Kenya Private Schools Association Vice Chair Solomon Munene said CBC had already taken root in the country and any reviews should be made to improve it. Rushing to make announcements on CBC he said, is wrong and is causing unnecessary panic, he added.
Outgoing Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha has since asked the new government not to scrap CBC.
