Dear reader, in my second treatise on curriculum reforms, I will strive to help you understand the swift shift from the 8-4-4 System of Education to the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC). The United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Education – International Bureau of Education (UNESCO-IBE) recommends curriculum review after every 5 years. Then, Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) No. 4 points to quality education.
Ideally, based on The 2012 Report of the Taskforce on the Re-alignment of the Education Sector to the Kenya Vision 2030 and Constitution 2010 chaired by Prof Odhiambo, the government developed the Sessional Paper No. 2 of 2015 on Reforming Education and Training in Kenya.
In a broader sense, The Sessional Paper posits that an in-depth national philosophy should guide the education sector. This noble notion places education at the centre stage of the country’s human and economic development.
Furthermore, the Paper recommends reforming the education and training sector to contribute to the development of learners’ potential in a holistic and integrated manner. The end in mind is to churn out intellectually, emotionally and physically balanced citizens.
Then, it recommends a competency-based curriculum, establishment of a national learning assessment system, early talent development, introduction of national values, integration of national cohesion into the curriculum and introduction of three learning pathways at the senior school level.
Somewhat, a sneak peek into pathways focuses on the three important areas; One, Arts and Sports Science; Two, Social Sciences; and Three, STEM. The sphere of Arts and Sport Science comprises of Sports itself, Performing Arts and Visual Arts. The agora of Social Sciences has Languages and Literature, and Humanities and Business Studies. The acrostic STEM means Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. Therein, it features Pure Sciences, Applied Sciences, Technical and Engineering, Careers and Technology Studies.
Back to the nuts and bolts of this essay, I can say. Kenya Vision 2030 and Sessional Paper No. 2 of 2015 placed a premium on the importance of science, technology and innovation. Arguably, some educational pundits posited that that the 8-4-4 System of Education did not provide deliberate policies, appropriate pedagogical approaches and sufficient resources: to install an august infrastructure for discovery, development and enhancement of requisite skills. In addition, innovation, vocational and technical skills considered relevant in meeting the demand for skilled labour and the country’s goal of industrialization – are not coming out clearly in the curriculum that is becoming moribund.
To augment that argument in 2009, a summative evaluation of the 8-4-4 System of Education, recorded something worth writing about. The 8-4-4 System of Education came out to be more academic and exam-oriented. The appalling discovery was that some teachers hardly use formative assessment – assessment for learning. Somewhat, the assessment was limited to summative assessment – assessment of learning.
Therefore, this informs the call for a swift shift from focus on summative assessment and competition (high stakes exams) to a sensitive balance between formative-summative assessment and excellence. Content to competencies. Radical move from a rigid and prescriptive curriculum with limited flexibility to one that is flexible and rife with opportunities for specialization – pathways. Rapid move from an emphasis on schooling and teaching to an emphasis on education and learning.
Sadly, a good number of Form 4 leavers hardly acquire adequate entrepreneurial skills to enhance self-reliance. Meaning, the 8-4-4 System fails flat to provide flexible education pathways for identifying and nurturing important aptitudes, attitudes, talents, interests, skills and values, in learners, early enough: to position and poise them for a world of work, career progression, promotion and sustainable development. Serious skills gap in agricultural, entrepreneurial, vocational, technical, innovation, creativity and ICT spheres, led to The 2016 Needs Assessment Survey by the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD).
What did they find out? The need for curriculum reform – the introduction of a Broad-Based Curriculum to cater for various talent areas where learners are propped up to unleash their full potential and then be better equipped to develop themselves and build the nation. The architects of our school curriculum thought deeply about a holistic system that would produce learners with spiritual, moral and social aspects with the ability to live well with others. This would only be realised through the acquisition and development of core competencies at every level of learning anchored on correct and comprehensive educational structure and infrastructure.
Consequently, the framers of our curriculum had to think hard on how to mainstream the EAC curriculum in their well-thought-out curriculum reform. This had to firmly lean on the National Goals of Education, structure for basic education, core competencies, learning areas (subjects), learning outcomes for Early Childhood Development (ECD), primary and secondary raft of guidelines on assessment.
Before I conclude, I have to cite Pertinent and Contemporary Issues (PCIs), which conscience and conviction convince me may have contributed to the swift shift in curriculum. Broadly, one, there are health-related issues such as HIV/Aids, drugs and substance abuse; then, prevention of lifestyle diseases like cancer. Two, we focus on life skills and value-based issues like the ones that touch on human sexuality. Three, we have social-economic issues, which revolve around the environment, disaster risk reduction, safety, security, countering terrorism, violent extremism, radicalization, poverty eradication, gender and animal welfare.
Other PCIs focus on Value-Based Education (VBE), citizenship, non-formal programmes (clubs, societies, sports and games), career guidance, career services, peer education, mentorship, learning to live together, parental empowerment and engagement. Then, Community Service Learning (CSL).
CSL is a stupendous strategy in Teaching and Learning (TL), which integrates meaningful community service with instructions and reflections: to enrich the learning experience. Teaching civic responsibility. Strengthening community participation. Advisedly, teachers should use innovative approaches and skills to facilitate CSL.
In fine line with CBC, teachers should mainstream PCIs in Teaching and Learning (TL) based on experiential learning and inquiry-based approaches. The acquisition of values and psycho-social competencies will enable them deal with behavioural crises cropping up in learners.
On parental empowerment and engagement, teachers and parents are partners in the child’s learning process. Meaning, teachers should possess skills of creating partnerships with parents: to facilitate participation in their children’s education.
© Victor Ochieng’
The writer trains teams on Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC)
vochieng.90@gmail.com. 0704420232
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