This archive report was first published on 20 July 2019.
Kenya's education system is in dire need of a revolution, and Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha is leading the charge. In a recent launch of the county competency-based curriculum quality dialogue in Nakuru, Magoha emphasized the importance of producing skilled workers for the economy.
Magoha's remarks sparked a heated debate on social media, with some critics accusing him of being insensitive to the plight of university graduates. However, Magoha's defenders argue that he is simply highlighting the need for a more practical approach to education.
The current education system has been criticized for producing bookworms who lack practical skills. The 8-4-4 system, which was introduced in the 1980s, has been accused of being too exam-oriented, leading to widespread cheating and a lack of emphasis on vocational skills.
Magoha's new approach aims to address these issues by introducing a competency-based curriculum that focuses on producing skilled workers. The new system will place more emphasis on vocational skills, such as plumbing, welding, and mechanics, and will provide students with the opportunity to acquire practical skills that are in high demand in the job market.
However, not everyone is convinced that the new system will be a success. Some critics argue that the government's obsession with university education has led to the neglect of vocational skills, and that the new system will only exacerbate this problem.
Despite these concerns, Magoha remains optimistic about the new system. In a recent interview, he stated, "...Right now I am looking for a plumber...how stupid can we be as a community? We are very stupid, including myself, because in my town there would have been several plumbers... but there is no honour in being a plumber; the honour is to go to university. Then you come out with a paper and say I have been out here for 30 years and there is no work. You are a fool."
