Implementation of the new 2-6-6-3 Kenya education system is set to cost Kenyan taxpayers a whopping Sh356 billion in four years. The Standard reports that an estimated Sh90 billion will be used to roll out the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) annually for a period of four years.
The bill caters for the training of tutors, recruitment of additional teachers and setting up of proper infrastructure for effective implementation of the curriculum. The huge financial burden of phasing out the current 8-4-4 system is captured in findings of the National External Evaluation team, which was commissioned by the Ministry of Education in June.
“The cost of the initiative from PP1, PP2 up to Grade 4 will be approximately Sh365 Billion for the first four years,” reads the report prepared by the Committee chaired by former Moi University Vice-Chancellor Laban Ayiro. Speaking during a press briefing on Saturday, Education Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohammed appeared to agree with the findings of the Ayiro-led taskforce.
Implementation of New 2-6-6-3 Kenyan Education System to Cost Taxpayers Sh356 Billion | https://t.co/SgDDpXM0yb https://t.co/emFv0ksaTU
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“The process did not carefully consider resource constraints and was not given the necessary strategic interventions at the inception stage,” Amina said as she announced that implementation of the new curriculum will begin in January 2020. “The CBC National Pilot be extended for one more year to allow alignment in implementation, particularly, intensive in-service teacher training. The National roll-out will take place in January 2020,” Amina said.
Under the 2-6-6-3 system, learners will go through two years of pre- Primary education, six years of primary (three years lower and three years upper primary), six years of secondary education (three years junior and three years senior secondary) and three years at the university.