Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i has banned the removal of students from schools so that they can attend public functions to sing and entertain politicians.
Speaking during the 8-4-4 forum at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) on Monday, where education stakeholders gathered to review the curriculum, Dr Matiang’i announced that calling students from schools in the guise of entertaining politicians was a waste of time.
“I am also happy that there are no school children today singing for us. This has to stop. We cannot be removing them from school so that that they can come and entertain us. that is very wrong,” the no-nonsense CS stated.
Dr Matiangi also warned against the use of children to sensitise Kenyans in the on-going voter registration exercise.
“I want to be very honest with you on this matter. These children that you are using to go and stand on the roadside are not even going to vote. Please stop wasting their time which they could use in learning,” the CS stated.
Meanwhile, education stakeholders are discussing a proposal to scrap off the 8-4-4 system and replace it with a curriculum that will reduce primary school education from eight to six years.
The recommended 2-6-3-3-3 system will focus more on competencies and skills in a bid to meet the aspirations of Kenya's vision 2030.
If the new proposal sails through, the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) and Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams will be replaced by Kenya Assessment Learners Achievement (KALE) and Kenya Certificate of Basic Education (KCBE) at both primary and secondary school level.
More emphasis will be placed on continuous assessment tests as opposed to final exams.
