Parents in Nyahururu town, Laikipia County fear for the future of the new Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) that has brought with it a lot of extra expenses.
In addition to the usual materials like textbooks, storybooks and hymnbooks, parents are now required to add crayons, sisal, molding clay, artists brushes among others, to the list, with many perceiving the move as a cash cow for institutions.
Speaking to KNA parents and guardians said they find the new curriculum important for children but at the same time very expensive to them. They accused the ministry of education for allowing half-baked tutors to handle the transition
“I am supposed to add Sh.3, 000 per term for the new materials that my grade two child requires in order for her to acquire quality education,” said Becky Wambui a private school parent.
The parents lamented that the anticipated Kenya Early Years Assessment (KEYA) slated for September this year had sent tutors in a panic mode with many opting to bombard them with demands of CBC text books approximating to Shs.12, 000.
“My kid’s school administrators decided to buy the materials in bulk which makes it a little favorable to my pocket as every parent is required to contribute Sh. 400 per term,” said Albert Njuguna a public school parent.
Parents urged schools to have a clear line of what they required from parents in terms of the resources they require so that they may plan on their expenditure in the near future.
“I find it very hard to help my children learn especially in doing their homework because this is a new system to me too and I have no knowledge of how it works,” said 27 year-old James Gichuru, whose child is a learner at Nyandarua Boarding Primary School.
The parents pleaded with the government to help them in catering for some of these impromptu expenses and to provide training to parents so that they may know what is expected of them to avoid confusion.
“I am unable to track my child’s progress in school and this CBC is proving difficult to understand,” said Gabriel wairimu.
By Julita Muthoni/Jacinta Wanjiru/Ann Sabuni
