Grade 9 transition rocked by infrastructure gaps as Form 1 halls remain empty

The government's effort to deliver quality education through the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) has faced numerous challenges since its rollout in 2019.

Introduced by the Uhuru Kenyatta administration to replace the 8-4-4 system, which had been in place since 1985, the CBC brought a new 2-6-6-3 education structure: two years of pre-primary, six years of primary, six years of secondary, and three years of university.

Former President Uhuru Kenyatta envisioned the CBC as a way to meet students' needs and introduce a more practical learning approach. However, from the start, the curriculum struggled with issues such as inadequate teacher training, the cost of hiring additional teachers, and insufficient infrastructure to support learners.

Years later, President William Ruto's administration is grappling with similar issues, particularly the transition of Grade 9 students, which has become its Achilles’ heel.

Ticking Time Bomb?

For months, education stakeholders have voiced concerns over the government's lack of preparedness to handle the first cohort of Grade 9 students. The problem intensified after President Ruto's education task force approved the curriculum. Confusion arose over whether Grade 9 students would be housed in primary schools, junior secondary schools (JSS), or secondary schools.

Despite ongoing debates, the government decided to domicile Grade 9 students in primary schools and proceeded with the transition without fully addressing existing bottlenecks.

The CBC has also brought structural changes, such as phasing out the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) and replacing it with the Junior and Secondary School system. Grade 6 learners now sit for the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) to transition to JSS, followed by the Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA) after three years, before moving on to senior secondary school.

However, this transition has led to significant disruptions. For the first time since 1985, there will be no Form One admissions this January. This absence leaves secondary schools with excess classrooms and facilities, creating operational challenges and financial gaps. Many schools are now turning to parents for additional funding to address these shortfalls.

Infrastructure and Funding Woes

The government had pledged to construct over 16,000 classrooms to accommodate the CBC transition but fell short by 2,500 classrooms when schools reopened in January. To address the situation, Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang urged schools to find temporary solutions, such as consolidating classrooms or introducing multi-shift schedules to avoid disruptions.

"We aim to finalize classroom construction within the next 30 days. In the meantime, we will implement short-term measures to ensure learning continues without disruption," Kipsang stated on January 6. The government allocated Ksh.16 billion for the remaining classrooms while channeling additional funds through the NG-CDF to expedite the process. However, delays in releasing Ksh.48 billion in capitation by the National Treasury have further complicated the situation.

Another concern is whether the recent deployment of 46,000 JSS teachers, along with plans to hire an additional 20,000, will be sufficient to achieve an adequate teacher-to-student ratio across schools.

The mounting challenges surrounding the CBC have sparked public skepticism about the Kenya Kwanza administration’s ability to deliver on its promises and sustain the curriculum’s implementation.