This man Sossion: Controversial educationist who deflated CBC tyre, but wants to ride it

For years, Wilson Sossion was one of the loudest voices challenging Kenya’s Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), later referred to as Competency-Based Education (CBE).

As Secretary-General of the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT), Sossion led a spirited opposition campaign against the government’s decision to replace the long-standing 8-4-4 education system with a competency-based model.

Today, the education landscape has placed him on the opposite side of the debate. Sossion, who once sought major changes to the rollout and questioned the readiness of institutions to implement the curriculum, has been nominated to serve in the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), the very institution tasked with managing teachers and supporting the implementation of national education policies.

His new role has reopened memories of his earlier battles with the government over CBC and raised questions about how a former critic will influence the system from within.

The CBC was introduced as a transformative education model designed to move Kenya away from an examination-driven system and focus on developing learners’ skills, creativity, talents and practical abilities.

The Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) spearheaded its development, while the Ministry of Education and TSC became central in implementation.

However, Sossion argued that the country was rushing into a major education reform without putting in place the necessary foundations.

During his tenure at KNUT, he questioned whether teachers had received enough preparation, whether schools had adequate facilities and whether stakeholders had been properly involved in the process.

“The new curriculum may be good, but the threshold and laid down procedures were not followed, rendering the subsequent rollout illegal, null and void,” Sossion said while challenging the implementation process.

His biggest concern was teacher preparedness. Sossion argued that CBC demanded a completely different teaching approach, requiring educators to understand new assessment methods, learner-centred instruction and competency development.

He maintained that short training programmes offered to teachers were insufficient for such a major transition.

“Teachers were sent to classrooms half-baked and ill-equipped to deliver high-order competency instruction,” he said.

Sossion compared Kenya’s approach with countries that had successfully implemented competency-based systems, arguing that teacher preparation required extensive investment and advanced professional development.

“You cannot roll out a curriculum through intimidation and policing. It will not work,” he warned during the debate over teacher participation in CBC training.

The former KNUT boss also raised concerns about inequality within the education system.

He argued that CBC required resources and facilities that many public schools lacked, giving better-equipped private institutions an advantage.

He questioned how schools struggling with basic infrastructure could support specialised learning pathways requiring laboratories, technology and practical training facilities.

“How can we introduce a curriculum that requires specialised facilities when some schools are still struggling with basic classrooms and learning resources?” he posed.

Beyond resources, Sossion challenged the process used to introduce CBC, arguing that curriculum reforms should undergo extensive evaluation, consultation and approval before nationwide implementation.

He claimed that the government had failed to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the 8-4-4 system before introducing a replacement.

“There was no national conference to validate a summative evaluation of the existing curriculum. Let KICD bring forth any evidence the new curriculum was approved by Parliament,” Sossion said.

He advocated for a structured process involving curriculum evaluation, stakeholder consultations, policy formulation, piloting and assessment before full implementation.

Sossion also questioned the interests behind the reforms, claiming that external actors and commercial interests had influenced the process.

“This process is a shortcut being driven by cartels in the ministry, publishers and foreigners,” he alleged.

The government, however, rejected the criticism and maintained that CBC was developed through consultations and was aimed at preparing learners for the modern economy.

Former Education Cabinet Secretary Prof. George Magoha was among the officials who strongly defended the rollout.

He dismissed calls by KNUT to boycott CBC training, insisting that teachers had a crucial role in ensuring the success of the programme.

Magoha maintained that implementation would continue and urged teachers to embrace the transition instead of resisting it.

The disagreement between KNUT and the government intensified, with Sossion continuing to demand a review of the process.

In 2021, TSC deregistered Sossion as a teacher, increasing pressure on him to relinquish his leadership position at KNUT.

The commission cited several issues, including allegations that he had interfered with CBC implementation forums and his acceptance of a parliamentary nomination through ODM in 2017, which TSC said conflicted with regulations governing teachers.

Even after leaving KNUT leadership, Sossion maintained his criticism of CBC.

During a television interview on September 16, 2022, he declared that “CBC has never been implemented in schools,” arguing that challenges around teacher preparation and assessment remained unresolved.

While he continues to call for improvements, Sossion has acknowledged that completely scrapping CBC would be difficult both politically and practically. His focus has shifted towards reviewing structures, strengthening implementation and addressing challenges within the system.

His nomination to the Teachers Service Commission now places him inside the institution responsible for supporting teachers and overseeing key aspects of curriculum implementation.

The appointment presents a new chapter for Sossion. The man who once fought to slow down the CBC rollout will now have a role in shaping how the system works.

Critics, however, question whether a former opponent of CBC can fully embrace responsibility for advancing a programme he once described as flawed.