Teachers union – KNUT, has asked the nominee for the Education docket Ezekiel Machogu to prioritize addressing issues surrounding CBC implementation.
The new education system has been facing criticisms from a section of stakeholders over its high cost. But with the nomination of Machogu, the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) says he should work on addressing the issues within 90 days in office.
KNUT Eldoret East branch executive Sammy Bor further hopes the new CS will be able to handle the upcoming transition period in the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) using his vast public service experience.
“From what we have heard, Machogu is an experienced person in public service and we believe the experience will be brought to the education docket, especially during this transition moment,” Bor said.
The first batch of CBC learners will in January 2023 be joining junior secondary schools.
There have been doubts over the transition after President William Ruto said he would establish a task force to look into the current system.
“We will establish an Education Reform Taskforce in the Presidency which will be launched in the coming weeks. It will collect views from all key players in line with the constitutional demand for public participation. We are particularly alive to the anxieties of parents on the twin transitions of the last 8-4-4 class and the first CBC class in January next year. I assure you that there will be a solution to the matter before then,” Ruto said in his first speech as the Head of State on September 13, 2022.
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Some argued the utterances signalled a looming end of CBC and a return of 8-4-4.
Improving CBC
But speaking during the national music festivals in Kisumu recently, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua said the government had no intention of scrapping CBC.
“When that team is unveiled and will be going around the country, please don’t just complain at home or in market centres…please turn up and present these people with your views on what you think should be done to improve CBC and the entire education system,” Gachagua said.
With the anticipated curriculum review task force, the Uasin Gishu KNUT official has cited various challenges associated with the CBC that need to be addressed.
They include inadequate infrastructure and a lack of enough teachers who are well conversant with the new system.
He hopes that the task force will sort out the issues. Bor further said KNUT will present their views on how to improve the new system.
“We have heard a lot of complaints from parents concerning arrangements but I want to believe that the appointment of the taskforce will cure several issues in the education sector. The appointment of the taskforce should be done as soon as possible and should include people who are well knowledgeable as far as education management is concerned who are probably teachers and parents,” said the Eldoret East KNUT official.
For the last few years, the government has been gradually phasing out the 8-4-4 system and replacing it with CBC.
Under CBC, learners will spend two years at the pre-primary level, six years in primary school another six years in secondary school and three years in tertiary level (university/college) – 2-6-6-3.
