They Introduced CBC To Kill Public Schools; Sossion Says

The implementation of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), according to nominated MP and former Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Secretary-General Wilson Sossion, has proven detrimental to public schools.

Mr. Sossion claimed that the transition from the 8-4-4 curriculum to the new educational system was hurried and that state-owned schools are having difficulty keeping up. He made these claims on Thursday on Citizen TV’s Day Break program.

Since the rollout started in 2017, this, according to him, has created a chance for investors interested in the education industry to profit greatly through private schools.

“CBC, the way it was introduced in this country, was to destroy the existence of public schools because they will never implement it. We did not prepare and it was just imposed,” Mr. Sossion said.

“The public schools will die and it will open a window for privatisation. Whoever imposed it on this country was very deliberate to kill public schools.” He added

Prof. George Magoha, the cabinet secretary for education, has stated that his department will begin examining private schools nationwide to make sure they have the proper infrastructure for junior secondary schools.

Beginning in January of next year, the first group of Grade 7 students will begin attending Junior Secondary schools as part of the CBC program. There will be a changeover for almost 2.5 million students.

However, Mr. Sossion criticized the ministry for what he called its failure to fulfill every Kenyan’s constitutional right to a quality public education.

“Prof. Magoha is now telling private schools to open up space to accommodate junior secondary schools… it is unconstitutional because education should be provided by the State,” he said.
Sossion, who is running for the Bomet senatorial seat on the UDA ticket, joins a group of political figures and advocates for public education who have been urging the government to postpone the CBC’s implementation.

They contend that the system lacks suitable fundamental structures.

President Uhuru Kenyatta stated unequivocally on June 1 during the Madaraka Day Celebrations that there will be no going back on the CBC deployment in response to recent conflicts between CS Magoha and the political formations opposed to the system.