Is it time to shift gears from 8-4-4 to 2-6-6-3 education system?
Category: Education
By: Edith Nyamichaba,
The 8-4-4 education system in Kenya was adopted in January 1986. This system has served Kenyans for almost three decades now; some of us would probably argue that it is a system that works. So, is completely scrapping off the system the way to go or would have modifications worked in the long term. Are we making abrupt changes, and rushed decisions? What about working on the current 8-4-4 system and improving on its shortcomings? In the course of its implementation, the idea of scrapping off the system was opposed with those for the 8-4-4 system citing that thorough research and analysis had been done before its introduction and the view was that many students who had gone through the 8-4-4 system had been admitted to leading universities in the world.
The 2-6-6-3 system envisions primary education will be split into two categories; Pre-primary and Primary education, taking two and six years respectively. Students will then advance to Junior Secondary School a stage that would take three years before joining the Senior Secondary level. At the senior level, they would spend another three years focusing on their areas of specialization depending on their abilities and interests. The current 8-4-4 system on the other hand, students attend primary school for eight years, four years in secondary and another four in college or university.
But there’s more to overhauling a system, for instance, what would be the cost of implementing the 2-6-6-3 system? Does it mean that school going children will have a better education experience with the new system? Changing the education system completely in my opinion is doable but a very demanding and costly task that needs thorough research and analysis, just like the 8-4-4 system. Those for the 2-6-6-3 system say the raft measures are in line with the Vision 2030 blueprint on Kenya’s human resource needs.
But what does the big move look like? Well it’s definitely coupled with factors such as teacher training, changes in textbook content, school size, and the overall implementation of the 2-6-6-3 system requires huge capital considering the Country is already implementing mega projects like the SGR, LAPPSET, and nuclear power plant among others. Moreover, the country’s external debt is growing at an alarming rate.
What about you as the parent or guardian? What cost shall you bear in this? It could mean more money invested in your child’s education. First, the new system adds a year and this implies a cost implication. Article 53 (1) (b) of the constitution states that every child has the right to free and compulsory basic education. In the proposed 2-6-6-3 system, a child will have to spend a total of six years in secondary school. Now, unless the government is going to make the first three years in secondary school free and compulsory, this is a down side for parents particularly those struggling financially. This could lead to an even lower percentage of pupils completing secondary school education given transition rates are currently low and its not free.
The 2-6-6-3 Education System proposes a very strong, pupil-centered method of teaching. Its deemed an effective way of learning and provides the needed equal attention to every pupil. However, teacher-government relations characterised with national strikes on low wages affect the school terms, which in turn lead to extended learning sessions and with tuition taking centre stage over the holidays for some schools, this may not be the morale boost needed to encourage pupil-teacher relations with teachers already feeling stretched with Free Primary Education.
According to the 2015 Citizen Report Card on Service Delivery in Public Primary Schools by IEA Kenya, teacher absenteeism is particularly high in public primary schools. Of the six analyzed counties i.e. Kajiado, Nairobi, Busia, Mombasa, Kilifi and Taita-Taveta, absenteeism of teachers is well above 45% for all counties with an exception of Busia which recorded 25%. Teacher absenteeism was highest in Mombasa County (75%) followed by Nairobi (60%), then Kajiado County (50%) and a tie between Kilifi and Taita-Taveta counties at 46%. Failure by teachers to report to school and attend classes directly impacts on academic performance as it denies pupils learning opportunities and this is regardless of the school system in a country. Its important to have a child centered system but there’s need to remember there’s much more that ails the already existing system. Will such issues be addressed in the new system? Or are we moving the same problems to a new set-up and convincingly tying a bow on it and calling it change or reforms?
The current system was initially introduced with the purpose of equipping our students with hands-on-skills to become job creators and not job seekers. It had subjects such as home science, music and art in the syllabus; it emphasized on technical skills and practical subjects i.e. subjects to do with skill, talent and creativity and therefore requires nurturing from a young age. Schools were then tasked to construct workshops to ensure students had facilities to practice what they were taught. The objective, however after a few years was lost and the subjects were scrapped off. The 8-4-4 system was modified and became one that put more emphasis on scientific subjects which until now portrays a view that without knowledge in such, you’re an academic failure. But the proposed system does show promise for students whose strengths may not be in science but gifted or talented in the arts. It gives students the ability to choose their careers at an early stage and specialize in them. But what happens when we reach midway and decide that this system isn’t working, will we scrap the system and consider another, especially since the system is to be adopted by East African countries?
In essence, the 8-4-4 system wanted to create all-rounded students but the focus has shifted to passing exams and ended up with students and teachers colluding to cheat in examinations and torturous tuition fees during the holidays with parents and guardians bearing the cost.This then disrupts the balance between school work and life, that is especially crucial in the development of a child especially in areas such sports, arts, etc. that can be cultivated during one’s free time. The system has been labeled as being too theoretical. It seems to encourage students to pass exams rather than encourage them to acquire practical life skills and techniques that would prepare them for an extremely competitive job market. Probably, then the solution could be the 2-6-6-3 system; hopefully it may nurture talent and creativity which means getting rid of rote learning and make learning about application and critical thinking; creating a skilled people with the right tools to make meaningful change from innovative ideas.
But it is also assessing what is needed to make the education sector work by identifying what is truly ailing the sector as a whole. The problem may not be the system but its management and funding. Take for instance the digital learning initiative, great idea… but is it not one of the immediate needs for both students and teachers? For most, the basic necessities such as desks, books, classrooms, toilets, teachers, are some of the priority needs for the sector particularly those living in rural areas. Notwithstanding, the digital program is a step in the right direction, particularly given the changing global and technological trends, however we must address the already existing problems.
Indeed changing an over 30 year-old curriculum, will not be easy as evidenced by devolution thus it will need the efforts of all stakeholders to ensure better delivery and quallity in the education. And this should be driven by our leaders, better management of funds and better working relationships between the education stakeholders and the government can aid a smoother transition into the system.
The overhaul of this system is inevitable, and focus should now shift to addressing the pertinent issues that compromised the quality of education in the 8.4.4 system in the first place, including issues of integrity, transparency and accountability.
[2] http://www.kenyans.co.ke/news/how-new-education-system-2-6-3-3-3-will-work
[3] http://lovelykenya.co.ke/problems-of-2-6-6-3-education-system-in-kenya/
[5] http://lovelykenya.co.ke/history-of-2-6-6-3-education-system-in-kenya/
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Is it time to shift gears from 8-4-4 to 2-6-6-3 education system?
| Post date: Thu, Jun 23, 2016 |
| Category: Education |
| By: Edith Nyamichaba, |
The 8-4-4 education system in Kenya was adopted in January 1986. This system has served Kenyans for almost three decades now; some of us would probably argue that it is a system that works. So, is completely scrapping off the system the way to go or would have modifications worked in the long term. Are we making abrupt changes, and rushed decisions? What about working on the current 8-4-4 system and improving on its shortcomings? In the course of its implementation, the idea of scrapping off the system was opposed with those for the 8-4-4 system citing that thorough research and analysis had been done before its introduction and the view was that many students who had gone through the 8-4-4 system had been admitted to leading universities in the world.
The 2-6-6-3 system envisions primary education will be split into two categories; Pre-primary and Primary education, taking two and six years respectively. Students will then advance to Junior Secondary School a stage that would take three years before joining the Senior Secondary level. At the senior level, they would spend another three years focusing on their areas of specialization depending on their abilities and interests. The current 8-4-4 system on the other hand, students attend primary school for eight years, four years in secondary and another four in college or university.
But there’s more to overhauling a system, for instance, what would be the cost of implementing the 2-6-6-3 system? Does it mean that school going children will have a better education experience with the new system? Changing the education system completely in my opinion is doable but a very demanding and costly task that needs thorough research and analysis, just like the 8-4-4 system. Those for the 2-6-6-3 system say the raft measures are in line with the Vision 2030 blueprint on Kenya’s human resource needs.
But what does the big move look like? Well it’s definitely coupled with factors such as teacher training, changes in textbook content, school size, and the overall implementation of the 2-6-6-3 system requires huge capital considering the Country is already implementing mega projects like the SGR, LAPPSET, and nuclear power plant among others. Moreover, the country’s external debt is growing at an alarming rate.
What about you as the parent or guardian? What cost shall you bear in this? It could mean more money invested in your child’s education. First, the new system adds a year and this implies a cost implication. Article 53 (1) (b) of the constitution states that every child has the right to free and compulsory basic education. In the proposed 2-6-6-3 system, a child will have to spend a total of six years in secondary school. Now, unless the government is going to make the first three years in secondary school free and compulsory, this is a down side for parents particularly those struggling financially. This could lead to an even lower percentage of pupils completing secondary school education given transition rates are currently low and its not free.
The 2-6-6-3 Education System proposes a very strong, pupil-centered method of teaching. Its deemed an effective way of learning and provides the needed equal attention to every pupil. However, teacher-government relations characterised with national strikes on low wages affect the school terms, which in turn lead to extended learning sessions and with tuition taking centre stage over the holidays for some schools, this may not be the morale boost needed to encourage pupil-teacher relations with teachers already feeling stretched with Free Primary Education.
According to the 2015 Citizen Report Card on Service Delivery in Public Primary Schools by IEA Kenya, teacher absenteeism is particularly high in public primary schools. Of the six analyzed counties i.e. Kajiado, Nairobi, Busia, Mombasa, Kilifi and Taita-Taveta, absenteeism of teachers is well above 45% for all counties with an exception of Busia which recorded 25%. Teacher absenteeism was highest in Mombasa County (75%) followed by Nairobi (60%), then Kajiado County (50%) and a tie between Kilifi and Taita-Taveta counties at 46%. Failure by teachers to report to school and attend classes directly impacts on academic performance as it denies pupils learning opportunities and this is regardless of the school system in a country. Its important to have a child centered system but there’s need to remember there’s much more that ails the already existing system. Will such issues be addressed in the new system? Or are we moving the same problems to a new set-up and convincingly tying a bow on it and calling it change or reforms?
The current system was initially introduced with the purpose of equipping our students with hands-on-skills to become job creators and not job seekers. It had subjects such as home science, music and art in the syllabus; it emphasized on technical skills and practical subjects i.e. subjects to do with skill, talent and creativity and therefore requires nurturing from a young age. Schools were then tasked to construct workshops to ensure students had facilities to practice what they were taught. The objective, however after a few years was lost and the subjects were scrapped off. The 8-4-4 system was modified and became one that put more emphasis on scientific subjects which until now portrays a view that without knowledge in such, you’re an academic failure. But the proposed system does show promise for students whose strengths may not be in science but gifted or talented in the arts. It gives students the ability to choose their careers at an early stage and specialize in them. But what happens when we reach midway and decide that this system isn’t working, will we scrap the system and consider another, especially since the system is to be adopted by East African countries?
In essence, the 8-4-4 system wanted to create all-rounded students but the focus has shifted to passing exams and ended up with students and teachers colluding to cheat in examinations and torturous tuition fees during the holidays with parents and guardians bearing the cost.This then disrupts the balance between school work and life, that is especially crucial in the development of a child especially in areas such sports, arts, etc. that can be cultivated during one’s free time. The system has been labeled as being too theoretical. It seems to encourage students to pass exams rather than encourage them to acquire practical life skills and techniques that would prepare them for an extremely competitive job market. Probably, then the solution could be the 2-6-6-3 system; hopefully it may nurture talent and creativity which means getting rid of rote learning and make learning about application and critical thinking; creating a skilled people with the right tools to make meaningful change from innovative ideas.
But it is also assessing what is needed to make the education sector work by identifying what is truly ailing the sector as a whole. The problem may not be the system but its management and funding. Take for instance the digital learning initiative, great idea… but is it not one of the immediate needs for both students and teachers? For most, the basic necessities such as desks, books, classrooms, toilets, teachers, are some of the priority needs for the sector particularly those living in rural areas. Notwithstanding, the digital program is a step in the right direction, particularly given the changing global and technological trends, however we must address the already existing problems.
Indeed changing an over 30 year-old curriculum, will not be easy as evidenced by devolution thus it will need the efforts of all stakeholders to ensure better delivery and quallity in the education. And this should be driven by our leaders, better management of funds and better working relationships between the education stakeholders and the government can aid a smoother transition into the system.
The overhaul of this system is inevitable, and focus should now shift to addressing the pertinent issues that compromised the quality of education in the 8.4.4 system in the first place, including issues of integrity, transparency and accountability.
[2] http://www.kenyans.co.ke/news/how-new-education-system-2-6-3-3-3-will-work
[3] http://lovelykenya.co.ke/problems-of-2-6-6-3-education-system-in-kenya/
[5] http://lovelykenya.co.ke/history-of-2-6-6-3-education-system-in-kenya/
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