As expected, the recently introduced competency-based curriculum for primary and secondary schools continues to pose challenges a year after its implementation. While educators generally welcomed the shift toward a skills-focused curriculum, concerns linger regarding its implementation and the ongoing experimentation within the education system. Parents, having witnessed numerous changes over the past decade with unsatisfactory outcomes, rightfully express apprehension.
A prominent challenge with the new curriculum is the perceived disjointed nature of teacher training, echoing a recurrent issue from previous system changes. Learning from past experiences, authorities should have ensured more effective teacher training before introducing the curriculum. Additionally, parents raise concerns about their children’s study hours and question whether the altered assessment approach will adequately nurture the required competencies. In response, authorities should have engaged in more dialogues with parents to clarify the nature of the changes and address their concerns.
While the shift away from the traditional rote memorization-based education system is commendable, the concerns raised by parents and teachers highlight inadequate stakeholder involvement in preparing for the transition to the new system. Many schools lack the necessary infrastructural support for the new curriculum, a problem that authorities should have addressed beforehand.
Past experiments with the education system have often fallen short due to a lack of basic conditions for their implementation. To prevent a similar outcome with the new curriculum, authorities must realize the importance of addressing these challenges. Another failed experiment could have far-reaching consequences for children’s future and erode faith in the education system. Urgent attention is needed to tackle these challenges and rectify structural issues in the sector.
