The 8-4-4 education system will be replaced by the newly proposed 2-6-6-3 that the government hopes to see approved at the national conference scheduled for July this year. The proposed education system was developed after the Needs Assessment Study for Curriculum Reforms study conducted by the Kenya Institution Curriculum Development (KICD). The study sought the public’s opinion on the current education system and found that a good number of Kenyans want an education system that allows learners to identify talent and uses teaching methods that are learner friendly. Kenyans also want an examination format that tests skills as opposed to testing theory learned in class.
The first three tiers of the 2-6-6-3 system will include 5 years of early childhood education and primary school, 6 years middle primary school and 3 of upper secondary school. Time to be spent at the tertiary level is still being decided upon as further consultations with universities and higher learning institutions continue. Early education system will see to it that pupils acquire numeracy, reading and social skills. In the middle primary and lower secondary will have the pupils acquire general knowledge, practical skills, technology, values and pick a career at the end of the Junior Secondary School. After transitioning to Upper secondary school, communication skills, critical thinking, technology and creativity will make up the curriculum. This is to help prepare students for the job market and solve the problem of having a workforce with knowledge but no practical skills. We should also toss in integrity and leadership as well, then we can start creating a generation of quality leaders.
Following the approval of the new curriculum, there will be need for heavy investment to facilitate retraining of teachers on relevant skills as well as learning and teaching materials including computers. The government also seeks to embrace technology by having relevant content required for learning in a single device as opposed to the pupils carrying ridiculously huge school bags stuffed with books. KICD will work with Kenyan National Examination Council on how to decide on better testing methods.
If adopted, the last KCPE will administered in 2018 and the last KCSE in 2021 while the first secondary examinations (senior secondary) under the new system will be done in 2023. The different levels of class will also be referred to Grades and not Standard as has previously been. The pupils currently in Standard 1-3 will proceed to Grade 4 next year while those in Standard 6 will enroll in Grade 7.
The government has in the past made changes in the education system, for in stance in 2002, subjects like Arts & Craft, Wood work and music were scrapped off to ease the burden on pupils. In 2010 there was also another trial to improve the curriculum through the Douglas Odhiambo task force but the effects were not feasible to affect the wider changes in the curriculum. This system will end the 30-year era of the 8-4-4 system since its implementation in 1985.