Debate on the proposed curriculum has elicited mixed reactions among Kenyans with statements from the various stakeholders stoking the confusion.
On one hand , Education secretary Amina Mohamed says the country is not prepared for the new system of education hence her recent announcement that its rollout has been suspended.
On the other hand you have technical officers at the Education ministry who have insisted that there is preparedness to implement the proposed curriculum.
Caught up in the middle of this are the innocent pupils and their parents and guardians who don’t know whether they will transition into the new system or remain in the current 8-4-4 curriculum.
The new curriculum was to be rolled out from nursery school to Class Three while piloting in Class Four was to start next year. This was after two years of piloting for the lower classes.
The financial cost of the sudden suspension will be immense. Publishers have already warned that they will lose billions of shillings since they had put money into the publishing of new learning materials.
Some parents who were keen on ensuring that their children were well prepared for the new system had even purchased relevant study materials like books.
Finally, who will explain to the young children who were being used as guinea pigs for the new curriculum that it has been cancelled and that they must now revert to the old system.
We opine that the minister must come out clean on the new curriculum.
Transparency is critical given the immense financial and other implications.
Kenyans must be told why the new education system was abruptly cancelled and why mandarins at the Education system are not in agreement about the suspension.
How can officials from the same ministry that is supposed to roll out the new system be speaking from different standpoints. This matter needs to be addressed and resolved urgently.
At stake are the futures of our young children and we cannot also ignore the huge financial cost to the taxpayers.
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