The Cost of CBC implementation Has been Revealed
The Cost of CBC implementation Has been Revealed. Years after the government began the big move from 8-4-4 to 2-6-6-3 education system, the massive financial burden of implementing the new curriculum has been revealed.
It is now clear that the government will need Sh676 billion alone this fiscal year to adequately implement the new school curriculum.
There is already a Sh123 billion funding gap to support the 2023/2024 Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) rollout.
The revelation sheds light on the illusive cost of CBC financing, which has divided education stakeholders.
The specifics are contained in a draft report being finalized by the Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms (PWPER) before being turned over to the president.
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In order to ensure the successful implementation of the CBC, the education task force has proposed a new basic education financing model with a revised capitation rate per kid.
According to the research, the CBC’s implementation will necessitate massive resource mobilization.
Because of the vast amount of resources required, CBC will demand efficient resource utilization and the implementation of long-term finance methods.
The current allocation for Free Primary Education (FPE) is Sh1,420 per pupil, and the allocation for Free Day Secondary School (FDSE) is Sh22,244 per student.
However, the taskforce study appears to represent the actual cost of education under CBC under the new capitation for all levels of basic education.
If the final report is included and agreed by stakeholders, each nursery school kid will receive Sh1,170 from the government each year.
Each primary school student will receive Sh2,238 per year, while junior secondary students will receive Sh15,043 per year.
According to the new funding plan, each pupil in Senior Secondary schools will receive Sh22,527 each year.
Special needs students would receive an additional grant of Sh604 for nursery schools and Sh3,624 for elementary school students.
Students with special needs in Junior Secondary and Senior Secondary will receive an additional Sh10,000.
According to the draft study, these costs include the value of textbooks and teacher guides, curricular support material, ICT material, school-based teacher capacity building, and excise books and stationery.
Repairs and maintenance, local transportation, energy, water, and internet, co-curricular activities, dignity kitty (sanitary towels), telephone/box rental charges, medical insurance, sanitorium, and non-teaching staff compensation are all included in the new finance plan.
The Cost of CBC implementation Has been Revealed
But wait, there’s more. The task committee also suggests developing a minimal essential package that would be distributed to schools to help with infrastructure and development.
According to the taskforce, a minimum essential package is required for each school since it presents a realistic fixed operation cost and capitation to allow the institutions to operate regardless of the number of students enrolled.
The team stated that the current capitation is a flat fee in which all learners from impoverished and well-to-do families receive an equal proportion.
“The equity-based funding model allows well-to-do families to pay for their children’s education, reducing pressure on government resources, which can then be directed to cushion and support learners from low-income and vulnerable families,” according to the draft study.
“It goes on to say that “considering the cost drivers, public primary and secondary schools with less than 100 students are regarded to be running sub-optimally.”
