Solve CBC challenges as they arise, team tells teachers

The team tasked with leading the implementation of the new curriculum has criticised the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) Secretary-General, Wilson Sossion, accusing him of single-handedly opposing the new curriculum.

The National Steering Committee on Curriculum Reforms said that Mr Sossion has been part of the team formed in 2016 to lead the roll-out of the Competence-Based Curriculum (CBC) contrary to his claims that all education stakeholders had not been consulted.

Mr Sossion last month said the new curriculum is not backed by law and that there is no commission gazetted to lead its roll-out, adding that it is borrowed from a task-force report that was rejected by education stakeholders in 2012.

The government launched the new 2-6-3-3-3 curriculum to phase out the 8-4-4 system that was blamed for being exam-oriented and churning out graduates who lack necessary skills for the job market.

“We, however, find the objections recently raised by the Knut Secretary general ill-timed given the fact that they are being raised in mid-air yet we have been together, as a committee, having boarded the flight together in 2016….” the members said.

The team drawn from private schools, religious sector and publishers ruled out any talks to halt the new syllabus saying that billions of tax-payer’s money had been spent.

They said any challenges arising from the implementation can be resolved as the country forges ahead with the new curriculum that aims to provide graduates with skills ready for the 21st Century.

The fall-out comes weeks after Knut said that the new curriculum will entrench inequality with the increased costs of printing downloaded images, paintings and pictures and acquiring materials such as modeling clay.

The union said the new demands have increased the financial burden on low-income earners who can only afford to send their children in Grade Three and below to public schools.