Thousands Abandon CBC Schools For International Curricular
Thousands of Kenyans have removed their children from the competency-based curriculum (CBC) and enrolled them in international schools.
The first CBC cohort – Grade Six graduates – will enter junior secondary next year, marking an important milestone in the system’s implementation.
International schools have long been a privilege of the wealthy, but research by the Saturday Nation shows that this is changing.
More parents have made the switch in order to protect their children from the new system’s teething problems.
Investors in middle and upper-tier private primary schools have moved to capitalize on the demand, constructing tens of classrooms as it rises.
Many schools that previously only offered the national curriculum now offer international syllabus classes alongside the national curriculum, with the British National Curriculum (BNC) being the most popular.
International education curriculum
Children in such schools now take the CBC, 8-4-4, and their chosen international curriculum.
Parents’ feedback are said to have inspired Makini Schools to offer alternatives accoding to Ms Katya Nyangi, Makini Schools’ director of communications.
“Our parents are happy because they can choose the system to enrol their children. Because the offer was intended to serve our parents, we worked it out to stay within mid-fee range.”
Ms Nyangi stated that the Cambridge Assessment Institute inspected and qualified the school.
The flight from CBC also demonstrates a lack of confidence in the curriculum’s implementation.
It highlights the widening socioeconomic class divide in Kenya. Parents who can afford the programs pay a higher fee.
Teachers in schools that offer international curricula have had to be retrained.
Around 500 students at Makini Schools have switched from the CBC to the Cambridge system.
In Nairobi, Rose of Sharon Academy offers CBC, 8-4-4, and the Cambridge International Curriculum (CIC).
The national curricula have annual fees ranging from Sh176,000 for Playgroup to Sh280,000 for Standard Eight.
Parents pay Sh272,100 for Year One students and Sh319,500 for Year Six students for the CIC.
The funds do not cover other expenses such as textbooks, digital devices, or transportation.
The school has plans for CBC and CIC junior/lower secondary.
“With this kind of curriculum, we can provide a broad and balanced education for our learners, helping them thrive throughout their schooling, work and life,” a brochure by the school reads.
With ten subjects – the main disciplines being mathematics, science, and English – children have plenty of opportunities to develop creativity, expression, and well-being. They provide topics that supplement other types of learning.
As demand for international curricula grows, some schools that initially offered the programs have been forced to limit admission numbers in order to maintain standards.
Some parents say CBC is not an option. “There are too many grey areas that may take time to get sorted out. I could not take the risk,” Mr Jeff Wambugu said.
Kiota School, also in Nairobi, has improved its teaching approach to include elements of the international curriculum under the CBC system in order to appeal to parents.
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They are providing a progressive approach to education, adhering to a local system while maintaining an international perspective.
“The curriculum, while primarily being CBC, is tweaked to borrow aspects from international systems including the BNC, the International Baccalaureate (IB) and the American System.”
Playgroup through Kindergarten Three (2-6 years) pay Sh67,000 to Sh82,000 per term, while Grades 1-6 pay Sh85,000 to Sh86,000.
Other costs include co-curricular activities, transportation, and uniforms.
St Mary’s, one of the country’s oldest high-end private schools, will now offer CIC in addition to the CBC and IB.
It launched the CIC in the Junior School from Year 1 to Year 7 (Lower Secondary), promising to strive to maintain a stimulating environment that allows for the creation of opportunities for the same growth and more.
Thousands Abandon CBC Schools For International Curricular
