Kenyans prefer CBC to 8-4-4, study shows
Grade Three pupils of Jacaranda Academy conduct a clean-up exercise at Kilo market in Nyalenda, Kisumu County, during a CBC practical lesson in 2019.
Most Kenyans prefer the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) to the 8-4-4 system by a nine per cent margin, a new study has shown.
The findings are contained in a report by Twaweza East Africa titled “What we teach our children: Kenyan citizens’ experiences and opinions on curriculum reform”.
Views on whether CBC is better than 8-4-4 is divided, although more Kenyans are supportive of the curriculum according to the report released yesterday
“Almost half, 47 per cent, of citizens say CBC is better 36 per cent or much better, 11 per cent, while four out of 10 (per cent) say the previous curriculum was better (22 per cent) or much better (16 per cent),” says the report.
It also lists financial cost and time-demands on parents as the main challenges in the new curriculum’s roll out.
In research findings done through mobile phone surveys, 48 per cent of Kenyans are unhappy while 36 per cent are happy with the country’s direction in terms of curriculum reform.
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The panel for the research was established through random sampling from a database of contacts from previous surveys to establish a new representative panel of the country’s population.
“Data were collected from 3,000 respondents in the third round of the special Sauti za Wananchi panel, conducted between November 3 and 17, 2022.
Citizens are reasonably well informed about CBC; almost all — 96 per cent — say they have heard of it,” stated the research.
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However, the most significant challenge of the CBC, according to three out of four citizens (74 per cent), is the cost.
Other challenges mentioned include teachers not being well trained, children getting complicated assignments and lack of clarity in the implementation.
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When asked what should change about the implementation, more than half of citizens (54 per cent) cited reducing the cost to parents.
To improve it, Kenyans urged the state to make more resources and equipment available.
“Interestingly, two out of 10 (17 per cent) say that we should do away with the CBC altogether as a means of improving it,” read the report.
“It is encouraging to see these high levels of awareness among citizens on curriculum reforms including recent developments such as the establishment of the working party.
But it is not clear whether research into the roll out and challenges of the competency-based curriculum has considered citizens’ views and perspectives,” said Twaweza Country Lead James Ciera.
