As Kenya is busy in the implementation of Competence Based Curriculum (CBC) which will replace the 8-4-4 system, the Ministry of Education has therefore resorted to do away with some degree courses from being offered in our universities.
According to a report that was published, the bachelor of education which many students have trained will soon be a past tense.
Instead, students who would wish to pursue a teaching career will have to take regular arts or science degrees plus a one-year post graduate diploma in education (pgde) from the Kenya School of Education in order to qualify for registration as a teacher.
However, students with qualifications in subjects that are not in the new curriculum will not be eligible for registration and even being employed by the Teachers Service Commission regardless of having a postgraduate diploma.
The Kenyan universities are therefore urged to do away with B. Ed course as it is among the Reforms that are intended to give way for the Competency Based Curriculum but it will lead to lose of many education department in our universities and render many jobless.
The CBC main aim, is to give students more focus on the ability to self-learn and develop relevant skills for any activity that will be carried out as they will continue with their studies.
On behalf of lecturers who were angered by the directive, a senior education lecturer said, the Teachers Service Commission has paralysed the education system and should allow a teacher to get the required specialised training just from the beginning.
She further said universities should be given ample time as they are working to their level best to align their education programmes to CBC.
As compared to 8-4-4 system, CBC will take 17 years following the 2-6-3-3-3 structure whereas the other one takes 18 years that is when the two years of ore-school are factored in.
