Kisii, Kenya – School managers and parents in the Gusii region have expressed a positive outlook on the transition from the 8-4-4 educational system to the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC). This optimism stems from the belief that the CBC, with its focus on individual-centered learning, will better cater to the diverse skills and talents of learners compared to the grading-focused 8-4-4 system.
According to Kenya News Agency, several school managers noted that the previous 8-4-4 system, which emphasized academic performance, did not adequately nurture the varied skills and talents necessary for students to adapt to a changing world. St. Andrews Kaggwa Boys' School Director in Nyamira, Peter Nyamweya, shared that his school had fully embraced the new curriculum, anticipating better outcomes for future generations. Nyamweya praised the collaborative efforts of parents and teachers, which he credited for the excellent performance of their final KCPE candidates, where 44 out of 184 students scored 400 marks and above.
Similarly, Douglass Nyaanga, a parent at St. Andrews Kaggwa Boys, highlighted the importance of unity among teachers, parents, the government, and learners for the successful implementation of the CBC. In Kisii County's Bobasi constituency, Zachary Onduso, Director of Olympic Junior Primary School, expressed his expectation that the CBC would produce more useful members of society, emphasizing the need to recognize and develop the unique potential of each individual. His school saw significant success, with at least 90% of candidates scoring 350 marks and above.
In Borabu, Mary Stella Mogusu, Director of Borabu Moma Academy, also shared her expectation that the CBC would enable all learners to succeed in life. The best student at her school scored 393 marks, with many others achieving over 350 marks. Tom Nyagaka, Director of Maxwell Academy campus Primary School, called for a united effort to provide effective services to learners in both private and public schools, emphasizing the need for sufficient learning materials for the success of the CBC.
These sentiments across the Gusii region reflect a collective belief in the potential of the CBC to revolutionize education by focusing on individual strengths and skills, thereby preparing students more holistically for their futures.
Mr George Sarpong, the Executive Secretary of the National Media Commission (NMC), has asked Ghanaian youth not to allow the play up of tribal politics, currently ongoing in the media space, to influence their voting decisions. He noted that the current situation where the media describes the 2024 general election as the battle between two northerners was worrying and that the disturbing phenomenon should engage the attention of all peace-loving Ghanaians. Addressing a durbar to climax the 80th Anniversary of the Effiduase Senior High School (EFFISCO), Mr Sarpong said never in the history of Ghana had a contest between two presidential candidates from a particular geographical area or region been played up in such a tribal or regionally biased manner. 'The 'Northernisation' of political candidates in the 2024 general election in the media is very worrying and needs urgent action of all Ghanaians,' he stated. 'At no point in the history of Ghana had people referred to a political contest as a contest betw een southerners, not even in the all-Akan contests between Mr J.A. Kufuor and Prof J.E.A. Mills, or between Prof. Mills and Nana Akufo-Addo in the previous elections,' he observed. 'Therefore, there is no reason why the next election should be referred to as northerners contest.' It was important to hype the qualities of the two candidates and what they had to offer rather than 'emphasizing that Dr Mahamudu Bawumia is a Mamprusi from Walewale, North East Region, and Mr John Mahama is a Gonja from Bole, Savannah Region,' which played down their qualities and unacceptable, Mr Sarpong said. 'The danger I'm drawing attention to is in the subtlety of the messaging in labelling all these diverse cultures as 'northerners',' he said. 'It denies them social equity and limits their opportunity for accessing public office since it makes it easy for us to sprinkle a few in positions and tell ourselves that we have satisfied the north.' 'This inequality is how we subtly kill vision and undermine social progress.' Mr Sarpong, who is also an old student of the school, stressed the need for the youth to stand firm and vote for humble and visionary candidates, devoid of tribal or religious affiliations. Young Ghanaians should give opportunity to a candidate who embodied the EFFISCO vision, resilience and excellence. He advised the youth to see beyond the present; envision greatness, and set a purpose for their lives by choosing a leader with track records in the economic growth and development of the country. The person who may define the positive course of their lives might not necessarily come from their hometown, tribe or religion, he said. Mr Ishaq Kyei-Brobbey, the Headmaster of the school, touching on academic progress, said the 2022 WASSCE results reaffirmed the vision of the school as centre of excellence. The percentage of credit passes A1 - C6 in English Language for the school was 82.7 per cent with 99.04 per cent for Mathematics. Other subject areas like Science recorded 97.42 per cent pass, whilst Social S tudies recorded 88.51 per cent. With Ghana on course to developing her human resource capacity, EffISCO was strongly aligned, he said. Currently the school has a student population of 3,581, comprising 1,787 males and 1,794 females, whilst the staff strength is 270, comprising 170 teaching staff and 100 non-teaching staff. Awards were given to deserving students and staff members for their hard work. Source: Ghana News Agency