In defence of Kenya's 8-4-4 system

NAIROBI: We need to apologise to all graduates of the 8-4-4 system.

For 30 years, we have preached that the system is not up to the task. We have claimed it is overcrowded, encourages rote learning and many other evils. We have tortured the egos and the intellect of a whole generation, injuring their self-esteem and aspirations.

The first 8-4-4 class graduated in 1995, 20 years ago. They now run blue- chip firms, or are MCAs, MPs and senators. I’m sure we shall soon blame 8-4-4 for corruption.

Why should we condemn our children, yet they had no control over their education system? They just found themselves in it. They were still kids when the system was introduced. Now we seem ready to prove to them that 8-4-4 was indeed a mistake by changing it.

The anticipated new system, 2-6-6-3, is akin to marrying a second wife and a third wife just to discover later on that the problem was you, not the wives.

I really sympathise with our 8-4-4 graduates. Just imagine everyone claiming you are sub-standard every day.

My hunch is that there is nothing wrong with 8-4-4 — we use the system as a dustbin. I have come across graduates from other systems that are worse than 8-4-4. I know 8-4-4 graduates who have gone through Harvard and Oxbridge and excelled.

Why do we look down upon the 8-4-4 generation? Are we justified?

The first reason is that policy makers and opinion makers in Kenya are graduates of the old system and think it is the best. They have never forgiven 8-4-4 for diluting their class.

Pen off

The second reason is that we compare unlikes. Why should we compare graduates of different eras? The A-Level system had no interruption from Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and other modern technologies. That class wrote letters that took weeks to get to their recipients. Do you recall ‘Let me pen off’?

The graduates of A-Levels had no competition; they were few, which raised their prestige. That also made it easier to get jobs. The small number made pampering easier. In campus, we used bread to wipe spilled tea from the table! We rioted because there was no dialogue (chapati). The old system hid socio-economic classes through what we called boom.

The current generation is struggling. In the old system, university loans were guaranteed. Not anymore. We used to boast that we were paid to learn.

In the old system, dropping out of campus was unheard of unless on academic grounds — failure. But 8-4-4 students have more problems, including money and accommodation.

We also forget that they come to university much younger than the old system’s graduates, meaning they are less experienced, but face the same curriculum and a more fluid socio-economic environment.

In the old system, the scarcity of graduates made it easier to get scholarships to go abroad, raising profiles. The 8-4-4 graduates are more. At independence, we had about 500 graduates; today, we have almost 500,000 university students. The laws of supply and demand had to come into play.

Will the anticipated shift to 2-6-6-3 change things?

We are only focusing on changing the curriculum and redistributing the content. But performance in school is determined by much more than mastery of a curriculum. Socio-economic factors matter, too.

It does not matter whether it is 2-6-6-3, which we borrowed from Japan, or 8-4-4, which we borrowed from Canada, the other needs of students matter. Ever wondered why there are so many campus deaths nowadays?

Economically disadvantaged

The prevailing thinking is that university admission should not be pegged to bed space. That sounds very good to hard-nosed economists who like neat terms like ‘sticking to knitting’ and ‘outsourcing’. But the reality is different. There are good economic reasons higher education is subsidised.

How does a girl from Turkana County get accommodation in Nairobi if self-sponsored? For the middle class who reside in Nairobi and neighbouring towns, accommodation is not a problem; the students can operate from home.

The economically disadvantaged have no choice but to stick to their ‘village campuses’, otherwise called satellite campuses. That denies them chances to compete with their peers and get exposed to modern socio-economic systems. They also take less prestigious courses. All these disadvantage them in the job market.

It is unfortunate that we think so much about content; what students should study, rather than their other needs. That is capitalism without a human face.

Some could quickly add that is a parent’s responsibility to do so. But what if the parents are disadvantaged? Can we stop seeing Kenyan problems through the eyes of the few elites?

The 8-4-4 graduates have been on the receiving end of censure through no fault of their own. As we think of changing the education system, let us keep in mind it affects real lives.

I have no problem changing 8-4-4, but the changes must be based on concrete evidence that the new system will positively affect our social-economic system.

We don’t want another education system that will degrade another generation.

The writer is senior lecturer, University of Nairobi.

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