The late Nelson Mandela said education is the most powerful tool that you can use to change the world.
For this to be realised, states must heavily fund their education sectors. Unfortunately Kenya has not spent enough.
The planned change from the 8-4-4 system of education to the 2-6-3-3-3 has foundered because of lack of funds and finally has been shelved.
This is tragic because the new system was progressive. It departed from rote learning to a more hands-on, skills-based system. Children in the pilot schools loved it. Those children would have become more independent thinkers and better able to survive in the highly competitive global economy. It would have reoriented students to look for jobs and to be capable of being self-employed.
The new system was killed by underfunding and poor planning.
Education received Sh200 billion in the Budget compared to Sh274 billion for infrastructure and Sh142 billion for security.
We need good roads and security but education should take priority. The Treasury needs to find the funds to get the 2-6-3-3-3 system back on track.
Quote of the day: “Don’t be fooled into turning to Communism looking for food.”
Jomo Kenyatta
The Kenyan Prime Minister becomes the first President on December 12, 1964.
