Central Organisation of Trade Unions (COTU) secretary general, Francis Atwoli, issued twelve recommendations to the Presidential Working Party Reforms on the fate of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).
Through a statement dated Wednesday, December 7, COTU rooted for the defunct 8-4-4 curriculum. The union argued that there was no justifiable cause to adopt the 2-6-6-3 structure proposed in CBC.
"We are of the view that we shouldn't collapse the 8-4-4 structure, especially if the changes in the curriculum can be accommodated in the structure.
As much, the major components of the CBC curriculum should only buttress the 8-4-4 curriculum," Atwoli's statement read in part.
To address challenges in the country's education system, COTU proposed increasing funds remitted to institutions.
"Increasing the capitation towards education to promote the development of more local schools and thus a system where children don't have to travel long distances in search of education.
"The government can understudy Australia to understand the underlying philosophy towards promoting local schooling," COTU suggested.
Atwoli also asked the Ministry of Education to invest in recruitment, training and reviewing of teachers' welfare which it argued was key to improving productivity.
According to the trade boss, CBC implementation will be hampered by the pupil-teacher ratio of approximately 56:1. He argued that CBC requires a pupil-teacher ratio of about 20:1 at the maximum.
President William Ruto was also advised to conduct a market and economic survey to determine if the current prevailing conditions favour CBC structures without proving costly to parents and other stakeholders.
University Education
The trade union opined that the government should empower universities to remain knowledge-based with the necessary skills like communication and Information Communication Technology skills taught as common units to all students.
COTU recommended a shift in university learning structures from skill-based to knowledge-based.
However, the trade union boss maintained the need to improve cooperation among universities to guarantee students internships and employment opportunities.
Atwoli further asked universities to improve their documentation to help the government monitor graduates' progress.
"Universities should introduce and encourage work-study programs and encourage students to undertake research as research fellows and teaching as tutorial fellows," COTU recommended.
"Institutions should seek to promote basic skills such as ICT skills, numeracy and writing skills, decision-making skills, communication skills, and sector-specific skills training within their curriculum to promote employability as a transition in the curriculum happens," the union added.
Additionally, universities were called upon to adopt online learning and retain top graduates to help in different sectors.
