Officials mum on roll-out date but reveal details of new curriculum

What you need to know:

  • The new curriculum will replace the 8.4.4 system that has been in place since 1985.

  • A pupil joining Pre-Primary 1 will be required to have attained four years while those joining Pre-Primary 2 will be aged five years.

Confusion over the fate of the new curriculum continued Friday as education officials refused to comment on whether or not the roll-out will begin on January 3. But curriculum experts said they had approved learning materials in readiness for the roll-out.

Details of the Competence Based Curriculum can, however, be now revealed.

Communicating appropriately using verbal or non-verbal modes and demonstrating basic literacy and numeracy skills will take centre stage as over four million pupils lower primary pupils start new life under a new curriculum hopefully on Thursday. Learners will also be required to apply digital literacy skills for learning and enjoyment. They will also be trained on creative and critical thinking skills in problem solving, practice hygiene, proper sanitation, safety and nutrition to promote health.

The roll-out of the 2-6-3-3 CBC will cover nursery to Class Three. The new curriculum will replace the 8.4.4 system that has been in place since 1985. A pupil joining Pre-Primary 1 will be required to have attained four years while those joining Pre-Primary 2 will be aged five years. Those joining Grade 1 will be aged six years with those joining grade 2 required to have attained seven years. For grade three, pupils must be eight years.

After Grade 3, the learners will move to Grade 4 which will be referred to as Upper Primary. The curriculum will take seven years to be fully rolled out. Developed to replace the discredited 8-4-4 system, it places emphasis on continuous assessment tests (CATs) over one-off examinations, which have been criticised as being too mechanical and results-oriented.