The National Parents Association has said it will defend the embattled Competency-Based Curriculum in court after a case was filed to challenge it.
Chairman Nicholas Maiyo said although the petitioner is a parent, the association does not support the demands to shelve implementation and revert back to the 8-4-4.
He said the demands of the petitioner would throw children into confusion and hinder their dreams.
“Our interest, as previously stated, is our children. What will happen to our seven million children in PP1 and 2and Grade 1 to 5 if the court says let’s revert to 8-4-4?” Maiyo questioned.
“What we are saying as parent leaders is let the Judiciary proceed but we will state our stand as representatives of more than 10 million parents in support of the CBC.”
Maiyo was speaking at the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development during an engagement with education stakeholders on the CBC.
Last Friday, a petition filed through advocate Nelson Havi argued that the action by the Education ministry to implement the new curriculum is unlawful and prejudicial to the future of the children of Kenya and ought to be halted.
The petitioner is seeking interim orders stopping the CBC pending hearing and determination of the case.
Petitioner adds that this will prevent a further denial and violation and infringement of the rights of children to education and free and compulsory basic education by the government.
They want the Education ministry to revert to the 8-4-4 system.
In defence of the new syllabus, Maiyo argues that the association joins the case to make their intention of accepting CBC and its full benefit of enabling talents in children and creating opportunities such as self-employment.
He said the parent’s association was engaged during the development of the new curriculum, they also participated in development of a parental engagement manual and are in full support of its execution.
“What matters most to a parent is the safety and future of their children. So we cannot allow any busy body to take us back to steam engine 8-4-4; we better go for an electric engine which is skill oriented CBC,” he said.
Maiyo described the CBC as a system that would provide a good education that increases a child’s creativity and turn them to knowledgeable, wise and productive citizens of the world.
“They should possess necessary competencies in their minds and hearts, they should demonstrate their genuine abilities under any circumstances.”
Currently, the CBC is under progressive implementation with the pioneer class being in Grade 5.
Maiyo further dismissed recent concerns by parents over the implementation demands of the curriculum.
“Those are not genuine parents. We are the genuine parents and we are in full support of the curriculum. Where will the seven million children in preprimary school go if the curriculum is suspended?” he posed.
The national rollout of the CBC started in January 2018 at Pre-Primary I and II and Grades 1, 2 and 3 in lower primary.
-Edited by SKanyara
