CBC System versus 8-4-4 System of Education
What is the CBC Education System in Kenya ?
CBC stands for Competence-Based- Curriculum System and in Kenya it has replaced the old 8-4-4 system of Education. CBC system of education was introduced in 2017 to replace the former 8-4-4 education system which had been running since 1984.
CBC education system encompasses a more holistic approach to development of a child`s education emphasising on competency and practical skills for use later in life.Rather than training them to pass national examinations as had been the case with the previous system.
Why The Need To Change The Education System ?
The 8-4-4 system of education was a more traditional approach to education focusing on well tried and tested standardized testing procedures.Strong emphasis was placed on traditional academic subjects such as mathematics , English and Science.The emphasis as stated earlier was on passing national examinations and getting good grades for the onward journey to University.
At University the favourable options for high earning jobs were medicine , dentistry , engineering , accounting and finance.Courses like Bsc , BA , Bed would only lead to lowly paid teaching jobs which do not have much scope
The emphasis on passing national examinations leads to a lot of pressure on the students.A very good example is India where exam passing has become a matter of life and death.The emphasis on passing national examinations is so tremendous students sometimes commit suicide if they fail.
The problem with an education system focused heavily on passing national examinations and with a very heavy emphasis on core subjects like mathematics and science is that it disadvantages students who are more creative in the arts, such as music and drama, singing, artwork, and literature.
We must understand that every child is endowed with unique different abilities.Just because someone favours music and drama or creative art over maths does not mean they are not smart.
Enter The Competence Based Curriculm System (CBC)
The CBC system of education is a well rounded education system that goes beyond academics incorporating practical skills to help students prepare for the real world.Plus it has continuous assessment and feedback enabling teachers to track progress of students individually,
The CBC system is concerned with the overall growth and well-being of students so they are prepared for the real world.
The main advantage of the CBC system is that it takes into account the Holistic Development Of Children.
It means Holistic Development takes into account all areas of a child`s growth not just academics.The other important areas of a child`s growth are in physical , social , emotional , intellectual and moral/spiritual.
Every child is unique with unique abilities and they all learn at their own rate and in their own time.The CBC system recognizes this and thus is tailored to tap into the potentials of different children.
The Second Main Advantage of the CBC system is that it has continuous assessment and feedback.This makes it easier to follow a student`s progress and ensure their strengths and weaknesses are identified in a timely manner.Thus the teacher in conjuction with the parents can help a student identify the right career path(s) for him or her.
Disadvantages of the Competence Based Curriculm (CBC).
The CBC system in Kenya lacks Standardization. Thus its very difficult to verify that students across different schools are receiving the same quality of education,The CBC curriculm lacks uniformity across the education system.Each school has its own curriculm and teachers need to adapt their teaching methods and materials to adapt to the curriculm.
Increased workload for teachers under the CBC system due to teachers having to create their own teaching materials , lesson plans and assessments.Teachers have to search for suitable material which can be adaptable to the new CBC system.
Some schools especially Government ones are facing challenges in acquiring the necessary resources and building the required infrastructure for the new system. An example includes building a fully equipped home science laboratory which is nothing short of a fully equipped kitchen. Good quality private schools can afford to build such facilities and purchase the necessary equipment.What about the Government and other private schools which lack the funding for such resources.
Teachers are lacking adequate training and support in the new system. They are struggling to understand the new teaching methods, curriculum content and assessment methods and the lack of mentors and trainers to help them navigate unknown waters causes further stress. Teachers are expected to use their experience and knowledge to figure things out by themselves.
The lack of standardization in the CBC curriculm leads to inconsistencies in what students are taught and assessed upon. Further comparison of students across different schools becomes quite difficult. Teachers with an increased workload cannot effectively teach students.
To Sum Up
The Competency Based Curriculm System is a good system but it requires
- Proper training of teachers in all sectors both Government and Private.
- A Proper Universal curriculum needs to be developed which clearly lays out a pathway for learners and students to follow
- There must be a system of comparing the performance of students from different institutions across a common platform.
- Schools especially Government ones need proper allocation of resources to meet the demands of the new system.
- The availability of qualified mentors who can guide the teachers on how to navigate the new system. Teachers can then in turn help students decide on an appropriate career suited to their needs, interests and skills.
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