By Fredrick Odiero
Various stakeholders within the education sector have continued to debate over the future of the Competence Based Curriculum (CBC) with a number adding their voices to the ongoing discussions.
Some insist that whereas the focus of all stakeholders should be on the transition of all KPSEA candidates into Junior Secondary Schools (JSSs), others hold a different view.
Kisumu East KNUT branch says that it recently carried out a nationwide study on the implementation of CBC whose findings will be made public and shared with the Ministry of Education soon.
The branch’s Executive Secretary David Obuon while highlighting some of the key issues of the findings said that JSSs should be domiciled within the primary school where there are teachers and existing physical facilities.
Obuon added that the age of Grade 7 learners did not sit well with being admitted into boarding schools given the challenges that come with handling them in such challenging environments.
Speaking in Kisumu, the official said that payment of school fees was already a pain for parents and therefore the JSS must not add burden to the already economically weighed-down parents.
“The government must make it affordable for all,” he said.
Furthermore, he said the current school calendar had been messed up with many unprecedented holidays with learning and coverage of syllabus and curriculum designs being impacted negatively.
“We, therefore ask KNEC to provide for assessment and examinations that will take all these challenges into consideration,” he said.
Elsewhere, KUPPET Kisumu called for a symposium to brainstorm over the fate of CBC.
Area Executive Secretary Zablon Awange said it would enable consideration of multiple views about the system.
Education CS George Magoha has already told off those opposed to the Curriculum saying the government had already invested a lot.
Magoha at the same time hailed reforms in KNEC which have brought back the lost glory to the once vibrant examination institution.
