Remarks from Kimilili Member of Parliament Didmus Barasa accusing teachers of using the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) to wipe out chickens from homes appears to have rubbed teachers the wrong way.
Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Secretary General Collins Oyuu fired back, lamenting that the remarks demeaned teachers and hindered positive engagement with the communities.
Our focus is on utterances made by one Didmus Barasa, MP for Kimilili. We feel aggrieved by his words which are disrespectful, demeaning and cast aspersions on teachers,” Oyuu said.
Additionally, the unionist warned other stakeholders against making such weighty but controversial allegations.
The Secretary-General demanded an apology from the politician noting the comments painted teachers in a bad light.
“Alluding that due to CBC teachers have consumed all the chickens from the homes, and saying that in the Western region where chicken is regarded highly is regrettable,” Oyuu added.
Furthermore, he urged aggrieved parents and other parties should raise their concerns with the task force.
“The public must be reminded that KNUT dissented to the roll-out of the said curriculum without the participation of stakeholders. We all know what happened afterward. This is the ultimate price we paid for CBC,” he stated.
“Our members feel embarrassed and looked down upon,” the SG added.
While attending a funeral in Bungoma, Barasa made the remarks after pictures of learners slaughtering chickens were shared online.
“Learners have slaugtered chicken in the name of an experiment. After the lesson, teachers go home with the chicken,” the MP had remarked.
Opinion divided on the CBC, with a section of Kenyans asking the government to rethink the implementation of the syllabus.
Already, President William Ruto has promised to establish a task office, to look into CBC, with a view to review it.
The pioneer class of CBC is now in Grade Six and the candidates are set to sit a national test in December before they transition to Junior Secondary Schools in January 2022
