Let’s review our system of education

It is encouraging that the review of Kenya’s education system is underway with a wide range of reforms being proposed by individuals and organisations. In fact, going by the debates around this exercise, the political goodwill and the social commentary, there is no doubt that there is a general consensus that some,PHOTO: COURTESY

It is encouraging that the review of Kenya’s education system is underway with a wide range of reforms being proposed by individuals and organisations. In fact, going by the debates around this exercise, the political goodwill and the social commentary, there is no doubt that there is a general consensus that some,

if not all, elements of the current education system points to a need for substantive transformation of the education system. As we embark on this journey, it is my opinion that stakeholders, particularly teachers and parents, should be the champions of a holistic approach in the review process. Over the years attempts at addressing issues seen to be impacting on education negatively have only resulted in narrow changes whose impact is short-circuited by the system itself.

Having said this, one of the key elements that ought to be given considerable attention in a holistic review process is how we define success in education; a question closely linked to how and why learning happens in schools and classrooms and the types of learning environments that are needed to provide relevant and modern, more empowering learning experiences.

The current system strictly celebrates academic excellence, which in itself is not a bad thing but in this 21st Century where change is exponential and those with changemaker skills seem to be the ones thriving, is academic excellence the main demand? Reports indicate that this academic-exam centric culture prevalent in our education system is producing scholars who are unable to fully engage their intellect to create beyond that which has been handed down to them by the education curriculum.

Hence our collective focus in reviewing our education system must be on redefining success in the education pipeline to give weight to changemaker skills. These skills have been found to play a crucial role in forming innovative and creative minds the basic of entrepreneurship and they are inculcated through experiences of empathy, leadership, teamwork and problem-solving in a culture where social innovation is celebrated.

This is the only way our education system will begin to churn out graduates who not only excel academically but also have the key 21st Century set of skills as first-class employees or social entrepreneurs who will go ahead to create systemic changes in their respective fields.

 It is the only way to have all our systems produce a population that will be absorbed into the job market without forcing employers to an additional training for 21st Century work skills. It is the only way to have all our systems aligned to offer the solution to unemployment, income disparities, and slow economic growth. It is the only way to create a world where the youth is empowered as changemaker and identifies as so.