Page 22 - EdSource Issue No02

22 Focus on Curriculum

WHY WE every employer is looking for. But

today, employers are struggling to
find workers who understand the
SHOULD GIVE basics. So the question I think we
ought to be asking ourselves at this
juncture, as we go about reviewing
CBC’s report card, is – is CBC living up
to its billing? What direction is CBC
CBC A CHANCE taking? Will it address competency
issues in the fullness of time? But
perhaps it’s too early to tell. Then,
a better question to ask at this
moment is, what do we want from
our children or rather what kind of
JEFFREY WEKESA future do we want for our children
to create?
Lately, there has been much like Prof. Lukoye who have had
furore about the competency an opportunity to interrogate this In my opinion these are important
based curriculum, with the divisive subject in detail. To be very honest questions and how we choose to
factor being, its shortcomings and each and all, have a point answer them, will shed light on the
expected outcomes. From the best way forward for our education
hue and cry it seems that parents But if we were to look at it from a system. Particularly, in light of the
with children in private schools different perspective, in line very fluid and constant change that is
are bearing the brunt of the much with Prof. Lukoye’s thinking. taking place all around us. And in
systems shortcomings. Complaints One realizes that this simmering cognizance very much with our
abound about how demanding crisis has indeed given us the perfect global and continental aspirational
and expensive the curriculum is, opportunity to review CBC. We have goals; i.e. SDG No. 4 - on equitable,
particularly, on parent’s time and with us the ideal occasion, timely inclusive and lifelong learning
financial resources. in every respect, to review and approaches, and AU agenda 2063 –
interrogate the progress this system on Africa’s master plan to transform
And it’s not just parents who are has made since its inception in 2017. itself into a global powerhouse.
unhappy; it appears teachers are
also unhappy. The immediate And as we take stock, we must, In a sense, we are at crossroad.
former Secretary General of in my opinion first and foremost Every African country is at a
KNUT, Hon. Wilson Sossion’s was acknowledge, that just by its crossroad. Irrespective of our
recently quoted saying that CBC is design and intention, CBC has been peculiar shortcomings as a people,
a fraudulent system that threatens a marked departure from 8-4-4. as a country or as a continent the
to reverse the education gains the For in adopting a student centered script should be clear by now.
country has made. Professor Lukoye learning regime, we have dared to We must find and make our own
Atwoli, on the other hand had this remove the focus from the teacher way to the future. In this regard
to say, “CBC will create a bigger gulf and turned the spot light to the our education systems will and
between the have and have not’s.” student. This for me has been CBC’s must play an important, if not the
biggest success. Such a milestone most important role. For instance
At the height of this debate the would never have been achieved education must seek not only to
President of the Law Society of directly under 8-4-4 regime, or be the channel that will educate
Kenya, Mr. Nelson Havi decided by tweaking 8-4-4, which, is the our people. But it must also seek
to move to court to save parents approach apparently favored by the to be a channel for aspiration. The
from what he termed as, ‘the CBC detractors of CBC. channel that will affirm and commit
burden’. The government on the to assisting every student and child
other hand has stood its ground, It is indeed a massive milestone, discover, develop and unleash their
with the education CS saying that because, by shifting the focus inherent skills and potentialities.
CBC is going nowhere, it is here to to the student and by crafting
stay. . a learning regime that seeks to Looking beyond CBC’s report card
inculcate the building up of skills and ahead, one realizes the biggest
It is almost impossible not to and capabilities. We as a nation are challenge we shall face in the future
sympathize with ‘CBC parents’, who addressing what has been in short is what to do with our graduates and
are bearing most of the financial supply in this country – competency. school leavers. Year on year, the
burden, or with the teachers, who High sounding as this may sound, number of job seekers (graduates
are ill prepared for the momentous competency; skilled, efficient and and school leavers) versus the
challenge of delivering this new capable people able to perform number of jobs created is increasing.
curriculum, or with academicians, tasks without supervision is what The government can only do so

EdSource Quarterly | Oct-Dec l 2021