MPs now push for changes to CBC homework after parents' outrage
A teacher supervising a CBC exam.
MPs on Friday asked the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) to issue clear guidelines to teachers and parents on how student assignments under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) should be handled.
While meeting in Naivasha during a two-day retreat, the MPs in the Education and Research Committee noted that there are a lot of issues being raised by parents on the implementation of the CBC, with some portraying the curriculum as expensive.
The committee chaired by Busia Woman rep Florence Mutua said following the negative reactions, KICD needs to scale-up response mechanisms to positively influence public perceptions on CBC.
“Engage stakeholders with a view of helping them understand the salient features of CBC,” Ms Mutua said.
The committee warned that if the issues being raised by stakeholders are not addressed on time, then the gains of implementing CBC risk being derailed.
Top among issues that MPs want addressed is homework where parents have complained about the burden they face with their children. The parental engagement component was introduced in all learning areas following recommendations in the needs assessment conducted by KICD. Thereafter, the institute developed guidelines for its implementation that appear largely ignored.
“The committee has directed KICD to address issues that are being cited as likely to promote inequality and ensure the curriculum benefits all learners including those in rural and marginalised areas,” they said in a statement.
Parents have also blamed the CBC of being too engaging as teachers were giving learners too much assignment which forces them to step in .
In some private schools, learners are required to carry reams of printing papers, more than 10 textbooks for each subject and other stationery.
The most affected schools are those in urban areas.
KICD chief executive Charles Ong’ondo noted that CBC has nothing to do with learners being asked to come to school with a heap of textbooks.
He said that the curriculum provides suggested learning materials, which means that teachers are expected to make rational decisions on what is required to aid learning, depending on where a school is located.
