Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu has said that performing arts will now be a compulsory subject for learners under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).
Speaking on Monday, April 15, at Kangaru Girls High School in Embu County while officiating the Kenya National Drama and Music Festival, Machogu said performing arts has been made part of the CBC and will be taught from pre-primary to tertiary institutions.
“Performing arts is not optional, it is compulsory and the government is taking the matter seriously… We are investing heavily in the performing arts to tap into the great potential we have in the country, we have great talent among our young people who can even make it to international competitions,” he said.
The CS reiterated the government’s commitment to ensuring that the CBC succeeds for the benefit of the children and the country’s progress.
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He further unveiled the government’s plan to recruit 20,000 more teachers to handle the CBC and build additional classrooms in primary schools to accommodate junior secondary school learners.
CBC, which is a 2-6-3-3 system, was unveiled to replace the 8-4-4 system of education, which has served Kenya for 38 years.
The 8-4-4 system was criticized for being too expensive, broad, and burdensome to learners, with the latter being largely blamed for causing strikes in schools.
Unlike the 8-4-4 system, which evaluated learners based on exam performance, the new system is entirely skill-based. Learners will be evaluated through Continuous Assessment Tests (CATs) on the skills acquired.
This will enable learners to develop beyond academics and also focus on how best they can use their specific talents to make a living.