Numerous debates on Radio, Television and also newspapers with regard to the Competency Based Curriculum-CBC have attracted overwhelming attention this week. What has been surprising to some of us is the condemnation of the curriculum by various educational authorities, including professors and others referred to, as educational experts.
Unbelievably, most discussions revolve around the cost of implementing the curriculum and the technicalities. Personally, I have on the ground, engaged in discussions with numerous educational managers spread particularly around Embu and Tharaka Nthi Counties.
The interactions have largely been with authorities who have acquired and read the KICD approved Career Dynamics in the 21st Century. The reading has no doubt made their understanding of CBC easier and they could seemingly just be waiting for the Grade 7 to join them, as entry into lower secondary school matures, in the next one year and a few months. More still, they seem concerned about fine-tuning their teachers on the same, as well as the current 8-4-4 students, thus increased interest in teachers seminars this September.
The perceptions of institutional managers who are unfamiliar with our concepts are totally different. ” Your concepts and issues
dealt with are largely related to policy matters that are better addressed through the education ministry headquarters,” expressed one principal, whose perceptions were common with others in similar situations. Proof of approval of our concepts as well as acknowledgement of our empowerment strategy, by the educational authorities could not influence most of them in any way.
Alongside, the CBC debates have sadly led to parents suing the government upon feeling overwhelmed by the implications of the new curriculum. That has brought to my mind an experience in a stakeholders’ forum (publishers) at the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development – KICD, in 2016. Dr. David Njengere, the then host (who is apparently the New Chief Executive Officer of the Kenya National Examinations Examinations Council – KNEC) indicated that parents need to be educated on the dynamics of new curriculum, in any way possible. “That will enable them to easily participate in the empowerment of their children,” he intimated
Since it was difficult to reach out to parents, it was assumed that educational institutions will handle the same, but have they? If teachers are still struggling to comprehend why CBC is inevitable, convincingly sharing the same with parents at the moment, is no doubt a gigantic task, isn’t it?
In addition to our engagement in numerous seminars for secondary school teachers so far, we in the recent past, conducted a seminar for teachers of a private school having a huge component of primary school students (remember CBC is ongoing up to grade 5). Based on continued observations during interactions, we easily comprehend the situation of both secondary and primary school teachers.
Meanwhile, did you know that dissemination of knowledge on implementation of the CBC has largely concentrated only on the technical aspects? Not many stakeholders seem to comprehend the philosophical aspects (the whys, how, what etc) of the CBC, that are carefully articulated in Career Dynamics in the 21st Century. Somehow, I had In 2016, personally foreseen the current challenges.
Upon indicating that I could help through being engaged as a trainer of trainers for the KICD team (many who seem to be bearing the title Dr.), I still recall having been asked to send a proposal, which could be compared with those from others. What was the sense of facing competition when I could simply have been clarifying or disceminating the ideas used for architecture of the CBC? I wondered, as I abandoned the idea.
During my many years experience as a trainer of trainers through the then Professional Trainers Association of Kenya – PTAK, I have interacted with numerous university lecturers wishing to become workplace trainers (as I have always been) and I clearly understand their constraints, as well as causes of the same (a case in point is shared in chapter 4 of Career Dynamics in the 21st Century). Sadly, not everybody is able to put theory into practice or apply knowledge, no matter the level of education, as is now the focus of the CBC.
Most importantly, wide knowledge is acquired during undergraduate studies; Pursuing the following Masters Degree involves application of knowledge acquired earlier, whereas PhD focuses on indepth research, regarding a very specific area of knowledge. That is if we can borrow ideas from the American Education system that some of us have experienced. But, does that seem to be the exact approach on higher education in Kenya?
No wonder, there are so many challenges being associated with CBC despite the process being led by numerous PhD holders. My hope and prayer is that majority institutional managers will see the light as one (whose school scores mean grade of 8.0 and above) did in Embu County, last year. Why is your fee double that of the lecturers that conduct seminars in our school? Wondered the principal who had already read our two publications.
Me: Madam! Our mission in schools is to unmess (the exact word used) the mess created in schools by the same lecturers. Our position is largely supported by research on the extent of disempowerment challenges even in universities (in the past, we conducted seminars on two occasions in one of the leading public universities in Nairobi). We realized that solving empowerment challenges while already entreched may not work. As such, it is upon you to make your preferred choice (I kept quiet as I scribbled notes on our discussions in my diary).
Without any further discussions, the principal engaged us for a seminar for the form 2 class in January 2020, which happened successfully. Unknown to us, the same principal immediately referred a neighborhood school to us, for a similar engagement that was to happen in May 2020. Sadly, the coronavirus pandemic switched off the engagement.
The good news is that the same has been revived through a teachers’ seminar that is happening in about 3 weeks. In the meantime, our mission for empowering our future leaders and their teachers too, continues spreading in different learning institutions around the counties. More engagements still WELCOME!!!
FYI
As noted, our empowerment mission this week was full of both excitements and disappointments. The best of the former was engagement with a principal of a school in Tharaka Nthi County, as we presented a souvenir in form of the 3rd Edition of Career Dynamics in the 21st Century. In this school, our empowerment seminar for the form 4 class happened just a few days before the Coronavirus pandemic became part of us. This time, we will by month end be back to the same school for a teachers’ seminar. Fulfilling, isn’t it?
Lessons in yet another school in Kirinyaga where we conducted a seminar for form 2, 3 and 4 classes in January 2019, indicated that the mean grade shot from 3.2 to 3.8 same year. The score was 4.2 in 2020. They are still considering whether the new principal (who is unknown to us) will recall us to the school, this time for a teachers’ seminar.
Rgds
Mwangi Wanjumbi (MKIM)
Personal Empowerment Coach
Seasoned Speaker/Trainer on Strategy, Performance, Change Management and Leadership.
Competency Based Curriculum-CBC Architect
Author of 1. KICD approved Career Dynamics in the 21st Century, 2. Living Beyond Survival:No More Tiptoeing in Life
- The 21st Century Student:Are You Creating The Future Today? Also, Retired 5 Year Monthly Strategy Columnist (2013 – 2018) for The SME Today Magazine Phone 254772516210
Recent Comments