Kenya’s Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) is facing criticism from stakeholders who argue that the system has flaws that must be addressed to maintain the country’s education system.
Prof Henry Onderi, the chairman of the Kenya Education Conference Association, emphasised the need for broader inclusion of education experts to fine-tune the curriculum and restore normalcy to the system, which he alleges is rife with confusion.
The Professor cited the recent placement of grade 10 students, which was full of confusion, as some male students were called to girls’ schools, and termed it a big embarrassment to the young learners who are curious to sharpen their competencies for their future prosperity.
“Two or three people can not sit in a Conner and even at a roadside and decide the wrong direction of education that defines the destiny of our children as we watch helplessly,” he said.
The CBC was introduced in the country to equip learners with the skills and competencies necessary for the 21st century.
However, it has faced many identified challenges, including inadequate teachers, limited resources, and resistance to change from less-sensitised parents, who are the main stakeholders in education.
Prof Onderi points to thet the need to train and recruit enough teachers to handle the ever-increasing number of learners in schools.
He argues that this will provide continuous development programs to equip teachers with the pedagogical skills and knowledge needed in the evolving world.
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Saying that teaching is important, he asked the government to invest in educational materials, integration, and infrastructure development to create a conducive environment for both learners and their teachers.
He appealed to the government to admit its failure as it tries to introduce hurried, unsuccessful changes in the curriculum and overhaul the whole system by reviewing it through the involvement of education experts who will refine it to ensure that it meets the needs of the learners and the country, instead of burdening parents to fund a system that is headed to limbo.
Prof Onderi asked education policy makers to avoid mixing it with politics to please the government of the day, but instead to stick to their professional call to enable them to solve the challenges facing education and implement the broadly agreed solutions that will ensure the successful implementation of the CBC and improve the quality of education in the country.
By Enock Okong’o
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