Disorder in CBC’s normal-ministry rollout, say education experts.
Even though the Competency Based Curriculum was first unveiled in December 2017, many Kenyans still believe there is still a lot of uncertainty about it.
Concerns center on how students will be placed into vocational paths, how assessments will be conducted, and how students will go into senior school.
David Njengere, CEO of the Kenya National Examination Council, acknowledged the unpredictability of the assessments made using the new curriculum.
During this year’s annual Knec conference at the College of Insurance, Njengere stated, “It is taking time to be understood clearly about the dichotomy between the formative and summative assessments.”
“However, we understand that such misunderstanding is normal at a time of transition.”
According to Njengere, Knec is hosting media and stakeholder engagements to raise awareness about CBC assessments.
The 8-4-4 educational system was instituted by former President Daniel Moi in 1985, marking the last curriculum change in the nation’s history. The 7-4-2-3 methodology was replaced by this method.
Charles Ong’ondo, director of the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development, stated that the nation lacked a formal curriculum until 1985.
“I’m sure you’ll mention numbers if I ask you what curriculum we used. that we attended primary school for seven years, secondary school for four years, A-level school for two years, and university for three years,” he stated.
From a curriculum standpoint, what did we name it technically? Maybe it was a curriculum based on needs. We wanted someone to take over the offices of those we had sent away since we had recently acquired freedom.”
He claimed that there wasn’t much of a transition from A levels to universities in those days, which was one of the factors behind the need for a new curriculum.
According to the head of KICD, students in class 7 were just informed that they would be moving to class 8 the next year when the 8-4-4 curriculum was being adopted.
“They withheld the curriculum they were using from us. The competencies that we were expected to attain were not provided by them. Ong’ondo remarked, “They did not provide us with a curriculum framework.”
When the 8-4-4 curriculum was being phased out of elementary school, it had become knowledge-based even though it was intended to be skill-based with activities like woodworking.
He praised the new curriculum, saying it “doesn’t force everyone to go in one direction.”
“We are created differently, and we have to nurture every learner’s potential,” Ong’ondo stated.
He described the development of CBC designs by KICD up to Grade 10 as “good progress.”
According to Ong’ondo, print curriculum support materials, including as books, have been made available up to the seventh grade, which is the first cohort of CBC learners.
He added, “Also, the curriculum designs adapted for learners with physical handicap, visual impairment, and hearing impairment are up to Grade 10.”
Regarding teacher retooling, Ong’ondo stated that tutors working with PP1, PP2, and students in Grades 1–7 have received CBC orientation.
“We have employed the cascade model in a multi-sectoral approach to provide teachers with ongoing orientation.”
Furthermore, foundational, intermediate, pre-vocational, and vocational curriculum designs for special needs education have been created.
According to Belio Kipsang, principal secretary for basic education, some details of the CBC have not yet been decided.
He stated that in order to develop a plan for students to go from junior school to senior school starting in Grade 10 in 2026, the ministry will convene a meeting with interested parties in the upcoming weeks.
One of the first Kenyans to take the KCPE, Elijah Chelule, mentioned that switching from A levels to 8-4-4 presented additional difficulties.
Upon the introduction of 8-4-4, it included practical disciplines such as metal work, cooking, and woodworking.
“There was even a little enthusiasm. However, our educators lacked training. Chelule remarked, “It felt like we were moving in the dark.
“We thought that with 8-4-4, we would succeed greatly. They had informed us that in high school, a person who was skilled in woodworking would specialize in carpentry. As a result, by the time someone finished school, they would have developed employable skills.”
But when they reached Form One and realized how poorly defined the curriculum had been, the excitement subsided.
“We had no literature to refer to. We were utilizing Form 6 texts at Form 3, according to Chelule.
The subjects they had completed in primary school were moved to high school due to the vague curriculum.
He claims that the way CBC is implemented presently is superior to how 8-4-4 was done.
When the nation implemented the 8-4-4 curriculum, Maria Gorreti Nyariki remarked that instructors felt like test subjects and that they had no idea what they were doing.
“No pressure was applied. When KCPE arrived, we didn’t even feel like we were taking tests; instead, the lecturers only pushed us to try our hardest,” Nyariki remarked.
In a meeting with senators, Cabinet Secretary for Education Ezekiel Machogu stated that the state is prepared to smoothly transition students from 8–4–4 to Grade 10 as it phases out 8–4–4.
“I would like to give assurance that all the necessary preparations for Senior School which will commence from January 2026 are in top gear,” the Chief of Staff stated.
Disorder in CBC’s normal-ministry rollout, say education experts.
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