Kenya Replaces 8 – 4 – 4 System with 2-6-6-3 Competence Based curriculum (CBC)
By Malith Alier, Perth, Australia
Saturday, January 12, 2019 (PW) — Kenyan schools typically reopen in the first week of January and normally go on for three terms with three breaks to conclude an education year. 2019 goes down as a year when Kenya changes to another system to supersede its old 8.4.4 which has been running for a long time. Competence Based curriculum (CBC) begins in with lower primary and will progress in implementation according to Education Cabinet Secretary (CS), Amina Mohamed.
According to Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, Kenya adopted the 8.4.4 system after it previously used the East African (7-4-2-3) system when the Community disintegrated. Under the leadership of President Moi, the country implemented the system in 1985. It meant 8 years of primary, 4 years of second, and 4 more years of university education.
When this author arrived in Kenya in 1992 amid war in the Sudan and settled in Kakuma refugee camp, thanks to the UNHCR which established schools for refugee children based on the on the 8-4-4 system. Came 1996 and I sat for Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE). Four more years later and I obtained Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE).
Since then, a lot of changes and makeovers happened to the general education in this country. In primary examinations, the pupils used to be examined on more than ten subjects while about eight subjects are examined in secondary studies.
Kiswahili language was a headache to some of us, the new arrivals in the country. It contributed significantly to diminish our overall results at the end of both primary and secondary exams.
Like some other kids, I had preferences and inclination to some subjects. These subjects, I imagined to pursue beyond high school but unfortunately the adversary nature of education those days could not make it happen. While in the second year of secondary, I with a group of other students were arbitrarily forced out of agriculture studies to undertake the so-called wood work classes which no one was a fan of.
Geography subject also disappeared in almost the same circumstances and so went physics. Losing preferred subjects like agriculture, geography and physics spelled doom for the love of studies.
English, Kiswahili and Mathematics constitute what the ministry of education termed compulsory subjects. had we got a chance some of us would have opted out of Kiswahili.
It’s not only in education that Kenya made changes. There are recorded developments in political landscape as well. After the chaotic scenes during elections of 2007, the country since then penned a new democratic constitution and adopted effective devolution of power to the 47 counties.
Presidents are now limited to 10 year two terms maximum. Due to its peaceful existence since independence, the country moved ahead economically and is the number one economy in east Africa.
Its wildlife tourism sector is unmatched in the region. The Mombasa port serves and is a gateway to landlocked countries including South Sudan. The country also boasts being the head quarters of UN Environment Programme (UNEP) in the region.
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