• “This is a system that has come to burden already overburdened Kenyans. We are not even enjoying free education because we spent more on buying learning materials," said Marriam Mwakalu, a parent.
• The public forums brought together tens of education stakeholders, parents and students among others.
Image: File
Residents in Taita Taveta County have asked the government to halt the implementation of the Competency-Based Curriculum CBC as it is expensive for them to manage.
While giving their opinions before the Presidential Education Reforms Taskforce at Mwatate on Tuesday, the residents said the new curriculum had placed a heavy financial burden on the parent's shoulders amid the rising cost of living.
They complained that most of the day-to-day cost is directed to the parents.
“This is a system that has come to burden already overburdened Kenyans. We are not even enjoying free education because we spent more on buying learning materials," said Marriam Mwakalu, a parent.
The public forums brought together tens of education stakeholders, parents and students among others.
Mwakalu told the committee that pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds are on the verge of suffering psychologically as they are ridiculed by their peers if they fail to provide the required learning materials.
“Let the government find a way of stopping this crazy idea of sending learners for expensive materials that they know their parents cannot afford. Parents in rural areas are suffering,” she added.
She said the 8-4-4 education system should be brought back, with the reintroduction of art, craft, home science, agriculture and business education.
Fr Claude Mnyambo said despite the CBC curriculum being good in talent development, it should be halted until the government is ready to employ more teachers and provide the learning materials.
He said the system was rushed without public participation, thus leaving parents at the receiving end.
“If the Teachers Service Commission does not employ enough teachers, then CBC is a system in futility. It should be stopped before more resources are pumped in,” he said, further pointing out that the Ministry of Education should also give a report showing the practicality of the new education system in the country.
Mnyambo further proposed that the ministry formulates a term plan that would enable parents to prepare their children from the beginning of a new term.
He said parents are not made aware of the required learning and practical material until a day before the activity.
“It is absurd how one is sent to bring a saw, tape measure and a hammer the next day. Where would an ordinary parent in rural areas buy such things?” he lamented.
The ICT integration, Vigilance Kiongo, a board chairperson at Mwakishimba Primary said is costly for both schools and parents.
She said many parents do not own smartphones while others can hardly access the internet, making it difficult for learners to complete assignments.
“The demand for downloading things from the internet is too high and many parents do not know how to do it. Many schools have no internet as well,” she said, noting that all schools should be ICT enabled.
Kiongo said not local teachers are also faced with challenges of language barrier while handling indigenous learners.
Wundanyi Deputy County Commissioner Maina Ngunyi raised issues with the age within which learners are transitioning from grade six to junior secondary.
He said children at that tender age still need close monitoring of the parents and therefore should not be separated.
“Taking children at that tender age is a risk for society because they still need growth and development. There are many challenges in secondary schools including drugs. Let the junior secondary be domiciled at the primary schools,” the administrator said.
Wundanyi Subcounty Director of Education Jilo Nkaduda proposed that the government convert one in every two primary schools to a junior secondary school to avoid mixing it with senior secondary.
“CBC is generally a good concept and therefore junior secondary schools should be established closer to the learner’s homes for better learning,” Nkaduda noted.
The task force team leader Dr Halina Abdiklahi noted that the opinions, recommendations and views will enhance reformation in every education level and the curriculum at large.
“We are here to collect views from different stakeholders and come up with recommendations. We will visit schools and also hold a public forum to get views from the public,” she said.