Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) Secretary General Akello Misori has welcomed a proposal by President William Ruto to review the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).
Speaking to K24 Digital on phone, Misori said the planned review will address concerns by education stakeholders on the new system.
Quality CBC
According to the KUPPET boss, the country needs a quality education system centred on science, technology, creativity, research and social science.
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"As a union, we support President Ruto's government plans to establish an Education Reform Task Force that will take in the views of Kenyans on the curriculum," Misori said.
"There have been concerns raised by parents on the double transition of learners to secondary schools in January amid limited accommodation and the high cost of the CBC despite not having enough teachers to handle the learners.
"The task force must ensure that these issues are tackled as we plan to continue with the system," he added.
During his inauguration speech at Kasarani stadium on September 15, Ruto promised that his government will establish an Education Reform Task Force to collect views of Kenyans concerning the CBC.
Secondary schools are set to receive Form One students under the 8-4-4 system as well as the pioneer cohort of Grade Seven learners under the CBC, in what is bound to push enrollment from 4.3 million to 6 million in the first year.
The current class eight lot will sit their Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) in December and will constitute the sixth group of learners to be admitted to secondary schools under the government’s policy of 100 per cent transition.
The 100 per cent transition policy is one of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s legacy projects in education alongside the implementation of the CBC.
Misori said, under the new system, there are a number of aspects which must be put in place for it to succeed and be beneficial to the learners.
"We need to consider whether what our children are being taught are beneficial to their futures and whether we have enough ICT components put in place," he said.
"The system has cost the taxpayers a lot of money and must not go to wastage. We must ensure that the views of Kenyans are collected to put in place lacking components for it to succeed and we hail the President for the plan," he added.
He said the review will bring to end complaints which have been raised by parents, teachers and learners.
"Parents in low-income brackets have over the recent past decried the 'numerous hidden costs' of keeping their children in school under the education system that emphasizes practical skills rather than theory.
"Parents do spend money on extra books, learning materials and printing, they have wondered if the assignments that learners come home with are meant to tie them down as a punishment," Misori said.
He, however, told the government to ensure that there are enough teachers who are well-renumerated to help the government successfully implement CBC.
