There is nothing wrong with the 8-4-4 education system, the problem lies with stakeholders, Ahadi Kenya Trust CEO Stanley Kamau has said.
He faulted the proposed change of the curriculum, saying even if it is adopted, nothing will change if proper structures to improve education will not be established.
“The problem is not the system and even if we adopt the new curriculum, we will still have the same problems in the education sector like we are having today unless appropriate structures to manage education are adopted,” Kamau said.
He spoke during Ahadi Kenya Trust ninth anniversary. The Trust donated shoes to Kyanjau Primary School pupils in Kiandutu, Thika.
Kamau said most Kenyans have become successful courtesy of the current education system.
He said the Education ministry and stakeholders including NGOs, parents and teachers' associations' should come up with proper structures to improve the sector.
“We cannot be changing the education system from boardrooms. The ministry needs to come up with a task force that will go to the ground and get opinions from Kenyans to enable them determine what is hurting education,” Kamau said.
He said some "unscrupulous individuals" are out to disrupt and obliterate education, adding that they are the same people who are to blame for examination leakages last year.
Kamau urged the government to consider using the same mechanisms used to monitor general elections to seal loopholes in exam leakages and cheating.
“Why don’t we have exam monitors and security personnel in examination centres as we do at polling stations? We have to lay more emphasis on practical studies to equip learners with necessary skills," he said.
Kamau said the curriculum emphasise more on exams, which encourages cheating.
Thika MP Alice Ng’ang’a said individuals involved in the massive exams leakage should be arrested and charged.
“They are enemies of our country, if they can destroy the future of our children because of their greed for money. They have to face the full force of the law,” she said.
Kamau said Ahadi Kenya Trust has already donated five million pairs of shoes. He said they will soon hit the 10 million pairs target.
He said they have managed to fight the jigger menace in most parts of the country. He said eradicating jiggers will help reduce poverty.
“The key to fighting the jigger menace lies not in their physical removal but poverty eradication. We are moving around empowering the victims as a way of curbing the menace,” Kamau said.