The implementation of the Competency-Based Curriculum has indeed created significant challenges across our education system. As stakeholders continue to grapple with this transition, many Kenyans are concerned.

Parents face an unreasonable burden, especially those working long hours or in rural areas without access to required resources. The financial strain of purchasing numerous materials has transformed education into a privilege rather than a right, with low-income families struggling to meet these demands.

Our teachers, primarily trained under the 8-4-4 system, have received inadequate preparation for this dramatic shift. The overwhelming assessment requirements, combined with Kenya’s high student-to-teacher ratios, have created an unsustainable workload.

The rural-urban divide has only widened under CBC, with well-funded urban schools adapting while rural institutions fall further behind. The confusing primary-to-junior secondary transition has created logistical nightmares, with infrastructure lagging behind implementation timelines.

While CBC’s focus on skills development is commendable in theory, its hasty implementation requires urgent reconsideration. Without addressing these fundamental issues, we risk sacrificing an entire generation to an educational experiment.

— The writer is a Student at Laikipia University