Approved: New system to replace 8-4-4

A section of delegates during 'the National Conference on Curriculum Reforms' at Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) in Nairobi yesterday. [PHOTO: BONFACE OKENDO/STANDARD]

It is now official; Kenya will soon have a new curriculum. After 30 years, the 8-4-4 system will be replaced with a new one that will focus on skills.

The new system, endorsed by government officials and key players yesterday, emphasises continuous assessment tests rather than one-off final year exams. There will be reviews at various levels of students’ academic life. During the ‘National Conference on Curriculum Reform’ in Nairobi, most participants agreed the current 8-4-4 system should be done away with even as the country aligns the education system with the development needs of the 21st century.