During a heated Senate debate last week, sparked by Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka’s inquiry, lawmakers highlighted glaring deficiencies in policy, curriculum design, teacher training, and program funding. They demanded that Education Cabinet Secretary Migos Ogamba appear before the Senate to clarify the government’s preparedness for the Grade 9 rollout
The future of 1.3 million learners expected to transition to Grade 9 in January 2025 is at risk due to the poor implementation of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).
During a heated Senate debate last week, sparked by Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka’s inquiry, lawmakers highlighted glaring deficiencies in policy, curriculum design, teacher training, and program funding. They demanded that Education Cabinet Secretary Migos Ogamba appear before the Senate to clarify the government’s preparedness for the Grade 9 rollout.
Senator Onyonka raised serious concerns about CBC’s deepening of disparities in the education system. He noted that urban schools are significantly better resourced than their rural counterparts, widening the gap in learning opportunities.
“The CBC’s emphasis on projects and hands-on learning over core subjects places undue financial pressure on low-income families and under-resourced schools,” Onyonka stated. “This has left many students ill-prepared for global competition, further deepening educational inequalities.”
Onyonka called on the Ministry of Education to address these resource disparities, reassess the CBC framework, and establish support mechanisms for low-income families. He also urged the Ministry to launch a comprehensive awareness campaign to familiarize parents, teachers, and students with CBC requirements.
The rollout faces major infrastructure hurdles, with only 5,052 classrooms ready out of the 16,000 required. An additional 11,000 classrooms are at various stages of construction. While the government promises 19,000 classrooms will be ready by January 2025, senators expressed doubts about meeting this timeline.
The Senate’s call for swift action underscores the urgent need to bridge gaps in the education system and ensure that CBC delivers equitable and effective learning outcomes. Without immediate intervention, the transition to Grade 9 could become a national crisis.
