Former Mandera Senator Billow Kerrow has emphasized the importance of addressing implementationCompetency-Based Curriculum (CBC) to ensure fair access to quality education.
During a recent appearance on a Citizen TV show, the political economist emphasized the discrepancies in institutions' ability to enable the CBC.
Billow hoped that the CBC would herald a new era of education, but he warned against inequities similar to those seen under the previous 8-4-4 system.
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"I'm hoping the CBC will be different than what we've been promised. There are institutions that have the tools required for the CBC; these things will create the inequities found in the 8-4-4," he stated.
Dr. Joy Kiiru, an economist and lecturer at the University of Nairobi, joined the conversation and echoed Billow's comments. She emphasized the significance of the new curriculum in providing an education that does not discriminate based on a student's socioeconomic status.
Dr. Kiiru emphasized the CBC's resource-intensive character, particularly in remote places, and wondered how many students had access to the resources needed for evaluations that relied on platforms such as YouTube and Google.
"We know that the CBC has not been taught the same way in rural and urban areas; it is a resource-intensive curriculum." "How many kids have the luxury of taking exams that require them to use YouTube and Google?" she wondered.
In addition to these issues, Dr. Kiiru questioned the Government's timing and the impact on pupils by evicting children from Mau woodland soon before their examinations.
On a more upbeat note, Tax Expert Alex Kanyi expressed faith in the CBC, emphasizing its emphasis on abilities rather than information.
He claimed that the CBC will assist pupils in identifying their skills early on, preparing them for the future.
“This system is being pushed as a skills - based system as opposed to a knowledge based system. There’s hope that talents will be identified quite early and students will be prepared for the future,” he remarked.
“We hope that soon, we will be able to see the difference between those who went through 8-4-4 and those going through CBC.”
