The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) President Nelson Havi has pledged to challenge the implementation of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) in the coming week.
The LSK boss took to Twitter to inform parents, teachers and guardians that he shall be filing a petition that will challenge the CBC’s implementation in court.
“I have heard your cries parents, guardians and teachers. The petition challenging CBC will be filed in court next week. The education system in Kenya should not be an expensive, inefficient and ineffective experiment with our children and their future as is our leadership,” posted the LSK president, Nelson Havi.
However, the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) has responded to complaints about the CBC’s implementation in schools across the country.
KICD urged patience on the part of parents and other stakeholders amid calls from a number of stakeholders for KICD to revert to the 8-4-4 system citing fraudulency in the CBC.
There is a growing feeling that the implementation of the CBC has not been implemented by following all the required steps.
“CBC is fraudulent and is being forced on Kenyans…and it was rolled out without a professional perspective,” said former KNUT secretary-general Wilson Sossion.
According to Mr Sossion, there has been no public participation as the curriculum was formulated. He added that the government needs to review the process and improve on a few areas.
“Concerning the CBC, public participation was not done well. However, 8-4-4 on the other hand underwent extensive discussion and was then tabled in parliament for adoption. This did not happen with the CBC,” he said.
Sossion said that the CBC looks to be an extortionist scheme that will severely affect the finances of parents. Besides, the former KNUT sec-gen said that teachers are going through a hard time adapting to the curriculum due to not receiving enough training.
“The government has to accept that it has failed the education system as teachers are frustrated and stressed with parents expected to buy a myriad of learning materials,” said Sossion.
The KICD addressed the allegations that the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) is costly as the government is purchasing the books to be used for learning in public institutions.
KICD Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Professor Charles Ong’ondo said that the CBC does not involve a long list of learning materials to be used in delivering the curriculum.
Charles Ong’ondo added that teachers shall only pick the most suitable course books from the improved ones. The CEO then said that given the current economic conditions it could be unfair for school administrators to ask parents to buy all the books that publishers provide.
“The CBC has nothing to do with learners being asked to carry a heap of books. What is needed is an approved coursebook to facilitate learning,” said professor Ong’ondo.
The KICD CEO also suggested that schools could purchase a few books for teachers to use as reference materials but not necessarily those pupils will need to have in classes.