Wananchi Opinion: The difference between CBC and 8-4-4 is like night and day

The new Education curriculum in Kenya is called the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).

The Curriculum follows a 2-6-3-3-3 education cycle, which means learners transition through a total of 17 levels, with each level lasting for one year. The curriculum is divided into four main categories:

1) Early Year Education (EYE): This category focuses on mastering basic skills and consists of two sub-categories:

a) Pre-Primary: Comprising of Pre-Primary 1 (PP1) and Pre-Primary 2 (PP2), which were formerly referred to as Nursery. Children enter this level at a minimum age of 4 years. Before Pre-Primary, there is also the option of Day-Care, which takes one year, but is not mandatory.

b). Lower Primary: After Pre-Primary, learners move on to Grade 1, Grade 2, and Grade 3. At the end of Grade 3, the Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) assesses learners to determine if they are ready to progress to the Middle School level.

2) Middle School: This category includes Upper Primary and Junior Secondary levels:

a) Upper Primary: Consisting of Grade 4, Grade 5, and Grade 6. Learners are assessed by KNEC at the end of Grade 6 to determine their readiness for Junior Secondary.

b) Junior Secondary: Comprising of Grade 7, Grade 8, and Grade 9. Learners undergo another KNEC assessment at the end of Grade 9 to determine their readiness for Senior School.

3) Senior School: At this stage, learners start to specialise in their chosen career paths. The time spent here allows them to explore their interests and capabilities.

This level comprises of Grade 10, Grade 11, and Grade 12: Learners will select their career paths, choosing from categories such as Arts & Sports Sciences, Social Sciences, or STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics).

After completing Grade 12, students have the option to attend Technical and Vocational Educational and Training (TVET) institutions, universities, or pursue entrepreneurial ventures.

4) Tertiary Education (TVET or University): Tertiary education and training typically take a minimum of 3 years, with some career paths requiring longer duration.

There are four major differences between the old 8-4-4 curriculum (8 years of primary, 4 years of secondary, and 4 years of undergraduate university education) and the new CBC (2 years of pre-primary, 6 years of primary, 3 years of junior secondary, 3 years of senior secondary, and 3 years of undergraduate university education). The differences are as follows:

In the old 8-4-4 curriculum, the academic future of a child was determined in grade 8. If a child failed the national grade 8 KCPE examination, they would not be able to join any high school that prepares them to attend university.

In the new CBC curriculum, the national examination that determines a child’s academic future has been moved from grade 8 to grade 9. In the new national examination in grade 9 only students who pass mathematics and science highly will be allowed to study STEM (which is the most coveted area of study in Kenya because of future employment opportunities).

The rest of the students will be placed on either the social science track or the arts and sports track depending on their examination scores. In a developing country like Kenya, it is very difficult to get employment in the non-STEM and non-mathematical fields of study.

In the old 8-4-4 curriculum, the decision as to what area of study and career a student will pursue in university or college was made at the end of grade 12.

In the new CBC curriculum, the decision as to what area of study and career a student will pursue at university or college will be made in grade 9, because placement into one of three tracks (STEM or Social Science or Arts & Sports) starts at the end of grade 9.

In the old 8-4-4 curriculum, 100% of the students’ examination scores were earned from the summative assessments in grades 8 and 12. Only the national examination determined the grade.

In the new CBC curriculum, at least 40% of a student’s grade is determined in school by the assessments of the student’s own teachers.

A portion of the grade is based on teachers’ assessments. The rest of the grade will be from a national examination.

In the old 8-4-4 curriculum, the focus of the national examinations in grades 8 and 12 was on ability to memorize large quantities of information in several subjects of study.

In the new CBC curriculum, the vision (which has not yet been implemented properly) is to shift learning away from memorization to demonstration of seven major competencies.

The seven competencies are: One, communication and collaboration; two, self-efficacy; three, critical thinking and problem solving; four, creativity and imagination; five, citizenship; six, digital literacy; and seven, learning to learn.

The CBC places a strong focus on developing competencies in learners. Competencies are practical skills, knowledge, and attitudes that students acquire through learning experiences.

Instead of solely relying on exams, assessments under the CBC also consider class-based evaluations, projects, and practical demonstrations, providing a more comprehensive evaluation of a student's abilities.

The Competency-Based Curriculum also offers several benefits for learners:

Holistic Development: By emphasising practical skills and competencies, the CBC promotes a more well-rounded and holistic development of learners.

Flexible Career Choices: The Senior School level allows learners to explore different career paths, enabling them to make informed choices based on their interests and aptitudes.

Reduced Focus on Exams: The CBC reduces the reliance on high-stakes exams and focuses more on continuous assessment, reducing exam-related stress for learners.

Real-world Relevance: With a focus on practical skills and competencies, learners are better equipped for real-world challenges and career demands.

Individualised Learning: The CBC recognises that students have unique learning styles and paces, allowing for more personalized learning experiences.

In conclusion, the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) in Kenya is designed to provide a more holistic, relevant, and personalised learning experience for learners.

By shifting the focus from traditional exams to continuous assessments, the CBC aims to prepare learners for the challenges of the real world.