Blanket condemnation is not helpful, give ideas for syllabus

KICD math specialist Joshua Kilundo (right) consults with TSC’s Catherine Kiyiapi during a session convened to make the newly published curriculum textbooks more suitable for children with special needs. Public participation and stakeholder engagement has been at the centre of the debate on the new system of education that being piloted. PHOTO | CORRESPONDENT

What you need to know:

  • Various policy documents developed after the summative evaluation of 2009 have indicated gaps in 8-4-4.

  • Much progress will be made if Kenyans pointed out specific areas that they feel need rejigging and suggest the way forward.

  • Blanket condemnation may end up choking a noble idea whose time has come.

Public participation and stakeholder engagement has been at the centre of the debate on the new system of education that being piloted.

To some critics, although the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) is a great thing in the country’s education, public communication is low.

But many Kenyans are yet to appreciate the Basic Education Curriculum Framework (BECF), the software of the curriculum reforms, which was launched in January last year.

Some Kenyans are sceptical that implementation of the CBC might fail because they were not directly involved in its development.

But during various stages of curriculum development, there was a call for suggestions, including newspaper advertisements.

ENORMOUS RESOURCES

There are also claims that the country lacks the ‘enormous resources’ needed for a successful take-off...that it risks sliding into the quagmire of the 8-4-4 system.

The naysayers have argued that the billions of shillings needed for the rollout be placed on the table first to clear doubts that the reforms might be financially starved and, therefore, stall midway.

It was Kenyans who suggested a review of the education system on grounds that the 8-4-4 was mainly examination-oriented, according to findings of a needs assessment study shared in March 2016 at a national conference on curriculum reforms at the KICC, Nairobi.

The CBC is geared towards realisation of Sustainable Development Goal 4 — inclusive and equitable quality education — which emphasises on learners’ acquisition of appropriate skills, knowledge, values and attitudes.

Various policy documents developed after the summative evaluation of 2009 have indicated gaps in 8-4-4.

They include the basic education curriculum not being aligned to the Constitution and Kenya Vision 2030; curricula for some education levels being inappropriate for the age of the learners; not providing for essential pathways, impeding pursuance of individual interest and development of talent; and the education structure framework being rigid and not facilitating entry and re-entry.

NEED TO SPECIALISE

The reports are available at the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) and its website and simplified messages shared on its social media platforms.

The study entailed learners being asked about the kind of learning they could enjoy. Their views resonated with the experts’ position that high school students need to specialise at grade 10 to 12. Then, the learner can concentrate on areas that will help them to shape their ambitions.

Time and resources will, therefore, not be wasted on training students in courses deemed marketable yet they have no passion for them.

Graduates have switched careers after graduation not due to lack of jobs but pursuing the wrong courses due to pressure and lack of information.

The first phase of CBC piloting in 470 primary schools drawn from public, private and special needs education was last April and its report is public.

The second, which started last month in all primary schools, was informed by feedback from Kenyans.

The requirement to review the curriculum every five years is a global requirement as outlined by Unesco and the International Bureau of Education (IBE). Ours is being reviewed after 14 years.

Raising awareness about the CBC is a continuous exercise. KICD, as a public institution, is open to Kenyans’ views. And although KICD is not directly involved in the production of the learning materials, it has been appealing to publishers who won the tender to fast-track printing of textbooks.

Kenyans are rightfully curious.

However, much progress will be made if Kenyans pointed out specific areas that they feel need rejigging and suggest the way forward.

Blanket condemnation may end up choking a noble idea whose time has come.

 

Mr Odunga is the assistant director (Corporate Communications) at the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD). [email protected].