Homa Bay Town MP Peter Kaluma has called for the reinstatement of the 8-4-4 education system, urging the government to abandon the new Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).
In a statement on Wednesday, October 23, 2024, Kaluma argued that the country lacks the necessary facilities and resources to effectively implement CBC, claiming that students have not been learning properly since the system’s introduction in 2017.
“Kenya lacks facilities and resources to implement CBC. Our children are not learning. Let’s revert to 8-4-4 and save the future generations of Kenya,” he stated.
Kaluma’s comments highlight growing concerns over the CBC system, which emphasizes skills and competencies over traditional academic knowledge.
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According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), a competency-based curriculum focuses on what learners are expected to do, rather than solely on what they are expected to know.
CBC was introduced to replace the previous system, which UNESCO had described as rigid, with limited opportunities for aligning education with students’ career interests, aptitudes and abilities.
The 8-4-4 system was introduced in 1985 by the then President Daniel Moi, under the advisory of the Presidential Working Party on the Second University in Kenya. It comprised 8 years of primary education, 4 years of secondary education and 4 years of university education.
By Jane Riana
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