Kenya’s CBC crisis as a call to the boardroom not courtroom: why dialogue will best remedy the uncertainties towards Kenyan children receiving the desirable quality education in the new education system

Abstract

The Kenyan 8-4-4 education system is in transition to the new Competence Based Curriculum (CBC). The latter aims at not only having the students grasp what they learn but also specialize at an early age in what they can do best. There have been a number of challenges enshrining this new system. For example, the teachers who were trained under the 8-4-4 system need some training to facilitate their efficiency in the new system. Parents are needed to closely monitor and even participate actively in the intellectual growth of their children. Gadgets like smartphones, laptops, or computers are necessary for the students to browse some information as they study. This has been received differently by Kenyans. Some argue that they cannot afford the gadgets, others argue that they are busy throughout the day trying to make ends meet in their families. Although there was an initial taskforce that researched on the feasibility of CBC, nonetheless the new government looks forward to have this education system re-evaluated by another taskforce in order to address the underlying challenges inherent in this system. As such, this paper will define CBC and how it came about, highlight the challenges raised in its administration, compare and contrast what it will mean to solve the current CBC crisis in court or through ADR, then make recommendations before the conclusion. This paper argues that a court’s rigidity undermines free expression as opposed