One of the questions that parents, teachers and pupils alike have, about the new CBC
curriculum is as to whether KCPE will continue being there. KCPE is the exam
that is done by Standard 8 pupils in Kenya. KCPE results determine the quality
of high school one is to proceed to. Those who obtain good KCPE results end up
in better quality high schools. The best of the best go to Kenya National
Schools. The runners up go to the extra county schools (previously known as
Kenya provincial schools), with the rest going to county schools even as others
go to local day schools. We also have those who are unable to proceed with
education after standard 8: meaning that for them, the Kenya Certificate of
Primary Education (KCPE) ends up being their highest educational qualification.
The Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) has come
to be regarded as an important rite of passage in Kenya. It is hard to imagine
a Kenya without the KCPE exam: hence the question that is being posed, as to
whether, under the CBC, there will be KCPE.
Listening to one of the policymakers, I learnt that the CBC
is supposed to lay less emphasis on summative examinations (such as KCPE) in
favor of continuous assessments. There is no doubt that the KCPE as we know it,
is going away with the 8-4-4. So just as we made peace with the exit of the old kra pin application system so should we make peace with the exit of the KCPE
exam. Or just as we made peace with the exit of the old paper-based helb loanapplication system, so should we make peace with the exit of the KCPE.
Yet
the question remains, as to what exactly would replace the KCPE under the CBC. Will
there, or will there not be a summative examination at grade 6 (which is
supposed to be the last primary year under the 2-6-6-3-3 system)? And if there
will be no summative examination, how will the students to proceed to the
better quality high schools in Kenya be identified? That is actually one of the
questions under contention in the CBC debates.
