Kenya’s shift from 8-4-4 system to competency-based education (CBE) in 2017 continues to be marred with confusion and controversy. The new system changed reliance on rote learning to a more holistic approach, combining teaching with practical application of skills and development of problem-solving capabilities. On paper, this was an excellent idea as the 8-4-4 system did not encourage critical thinking or practical action. It focused on high grades that would churn out white collar workers. Those who failed KCSE were left behind without further institutional support. The CBE envisions a life even for those who end up in blue-collar sectors, making it ideal for all students.
The reality of this system has however been controversial, which is to be expected when onboarding an entirely new, unfamiliar way of doing things. Teachers, students and even parents have faced immense pressure while trying to keep up with the system as it demands of them skills, support structures and equipment that may not be readily available. However, it is the most recent conversation on subject specialisation, as the pioneer students of the CBC begin their high school journeys, which has raised eyebrows.
CBC proposes that, early on, students choose the path that they will eventually take up as adults. Students can either opt into the STEM pathway, the Social Sciences pathway, or the Arts and Sports Science pathway, each specifying the subjects that they will take. The question of whether mathematics should be mandatory in any of these pathways has been hotly contested, with many teachers insisting that all students must learn the subject. The government made mathematics an elective in March of this year, later changed its tune and made it compulsory. However, it seems this decision was not made happily.
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Deputy President (DP) Kithure Kindiki last week remarked that there is no need for a person with sports talent to waste years of high school developing mathematical skills or learning history that would be irrelevant to them when they could be utilising this crucial time to hone their talent. It is ironic that this statement came from a person who dedicated years of study into the law, becoming a professor, and using his skills and credentials to switch careers and become the DP.
But is this statement even true in Kenya where sports, and in fact any other career outside of the mainstream and white collar, is so denigrated? It is notable that this statement was made during the CHAN tournament as we witnessed the Kenyan team excel, not only because of skill and home advantage, but also because of the promise of millions of shillings. Sports in Kenya is a highly neglected and under-sponsored career. Athletes have often complained of lack of support in advancing their skill, even as Kenya does its best to dominate in longer distance races.
Football fairs much worse, with few stadiums developed, and the hope of making it restricted to those playing for international teams. This is not a viable path to success when the internationally coveted spots are open to players from all over the world, including those who are better resourced by their governments. And this is to speak nothing of the lack of longevity in sports as a career. Whilst athletes might be able to capitalise on their bodies in their youth, they will require much more than physical prowess for the majority of their adult years, when they will no longer be able to play competitively but will nevertheless need to eke out a living for themselves. Mathematics and history would likely come in handy at that point.
The approach to sports as being only a utilisation of the body and not the mind is dehumanising, and in the context of the Black body, racially tinged. It calls to mind approaches in North America towards Black athletes, where young Black boys are sold to sports such as American football and boxing that beat their brains into a pulp, or comments are made that encourage Black players to “shut up and dribble” when they dare to apply some cognitive reasoning.
Ms Gitahi is an international lawyer
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By Njahira Gitahi