Trans Nzoia County Governor George Natembeya heavily criticised the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) on Saturday, specifically its grading system.
According to the governor, the new system did not align with the international status of education as there was not a clear grade issued but rather comments including; average, below average, above average, etc.
"We want our children to study and get jobs, not just in Kenya but abroad too. We want them to go abroad and when they look at the certificate, they can tell the person has passed," stated Natembeya.
"But this grading system of average, below average, above average, exceeding expectation, meeting expectations does not make sense. The teachers are the ones setting and grading the exams. If they help them cheat on national exams, how about normal exams?"
He further castigated the lawmakers for not enrolling their children into CBC and instead taking them to International curriculums.
In his address, Natembeya also criticised the government over several other issues including the teething problems in the Social Health Authority, promising to be the voice of the people as the opposition had joined the government.
Since its implementation, the CBC system, which focuses on nurturing individual student's likes and competencies as the name suggests, has received mixed reactions.
A recent revelation that Mathematics would be optional in senior secondary school has, for instance, attracted uproar from education experts and other professionals, highlighting the crucial role the subject plays in students' future careers.
The Institution of Engineers of Kenya (IEK) led the opposition, stating, "Mathematics, in particular, is the language of engineering and technology, underpinning design, optimisation, problem-solving, and data analysis in fields ranging from civil and electrical engineering to artificial intelligence and renewable energy."
"We express deep concerns over the decision to remove Mathematics as a compulsory subject in the Arts and Sports Science and Social Sciences pathways. While curriculum flexibility is valuable, this decision poses challenges that may impact Kenya’s workforce readiness and economic sustainability."
Secondary school teachers also joined in to reject this move that will have only students interested in pursuing Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) courses study mathematics.
In the new curriculum, three broad pathways will be explored, including, STEM, Social Sciences, and Arts and Sports. Each student will, however, be open to taking on two pathways to broaden their interests.
