By Enock Okong’o
Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) Nyamira County Executive Secretary has said that the Competence Based Curriculum (CBC) is likely to turn into a white elephant because teachers who are the main stakeholders were not consulted from the onset.
Speaking during a public participation forum called by the Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms to collect views on CBC implementation at Sironga Technical Institute, Lewis Nyakweba said that the system’s implementation was marred with politics instead of professionalism.
“The system was given a political approach instead of contacting professionals to harmonize it before taking it to the learners,” he said.
The KUPPET boss told the the Working Party represented by Dr. Richard Githinji that the curriculum was inherently beneficial but it burdened parents with its costliness.
Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (KESSHA) Nyamira branch Chairman Job Oira said that the curriculum was good but asked the government to shelve it and revert to the 8-4-4 system.
He said that the system would derail the East African Community’s principles that call for uniform operations among the member states.
“Education is the main tool of unity and we should use it to unify us instead of dividing us,” he said.
Johnson Mokaya, a parent from Kebirogo High School called for the abolition of the system because its requirement for underage Grade 6 pupils to join Junior Secondary School (JSS) in secondary school was far fetched.
He said that most of pupils set to join JSS are under 14 years and joining secondary school would alienate them from their parents’ homes at a very fragile age.
“It is not possible for these young children to be domiciled in the secondary schools because they will be bullied by the seniors,” he said.
Mokaya wondered how the system will work since the teachers had not yet trained teachers adequately to handle the learners besides having less infrastructure.
James Borura, a student from Gesiaga Secondary school said that the system was good because it involves students, teachers and parents, therefore acting as a source of unity for the community.
Janet Moraa, a pupil from Nyairicha Special Primary school lauded CBC saying that it was good because it gives the learner a variety of activities to indulge in.
Esther Sarange of Sironga National school called for the abolition of the curriculum because it is expensive to the parents at this time of economic turmoil. She asked the government to fund it since it is within its mandate to provide free education to its citizens.
Elsewhere, Kisii County Education Board Chairman Prof. Henry Onderi has called upon area residents to turn up in big numbers to give their views regarding CBC at Kisii University’s playground on November 6, 2022
“This is a public meeting that calls for all education stakeholders to participate and speak their minds on the curriculum,” he said.
