By Amoto Ndiewo
KCA University lecturer Dr Zippy Okoth has revealed that the Competence Based Curriculum (CBC) is the way to go as the children who have gone through it have shown a certain mind-set that seems to imply that they won’t struggle in their careers.
“If it was as evil as some parents have pointed out then the government would not have invested that much time and resources on it,” she said.
Talking in a local TV station, the don-cum-filmmaker dismissed the parents suggesting that the assignments being given are unnecessary and expensive.
“What is wrong with teachers giving assignments to learners? The assignments some parents are complaining about are part and parcel of life,” she said.
Elsewhere, Jeff Mwilu, a secondary school teacher in Garissa said that as much as he agrees that CBC is a game changer, he fears for the Grade Six psychological preparedness to step in Junior Secondary School (JSS) come next January.
“Given the aggressive attitude of Form one and two students from the 8-4-4 system, it means the age-long bullying is going to affect the young Grade Six learners entering JSS,” said Mwilu.
He noted that as much as many people were complaining about lack of preparedness of teachers to receive training, no training was ever enough. However he said that those doing the training ought to pull up their socks.
Mwilu added that CBC was an inevitable phenomenon worldwide and Kenyans should prepare to come to terms with it sooner than later.
“Miss it at your own peril because CBC drives innovation and not memorization which was the hallmark of the 8-4-4 system,’’ cautioned Mwilu.
In this respect he urged the yet-to-be CBC task force to fix the system and not dump it as some parents want.
