New O'level curriculum to focus on Life Education

By Cecilia Okoth

A new compulsory secondary school curriculum to be introduced in 2017 will focus on Life Education, which includes sex and physical education.

Speaking at a sensitization workshop for religious and cultural leaders on Life Education, one of the core learning areas in the new curriculum, Connie Kateeba, the Director NCDC said there was need to overhaul and merge related subjects.

“Learners are over loaded with many related subjects with little time to read, which is why most of them are cramming rather than understanding,” she said.

The curriculum, also known as the Lower Secondary Curriculum Assessment and Exam Reform (CURASSE), is set to replace the current curriculum.

James Droti, a curriculum specialist at NCDC said the current curriculum is outdated as it emphasizes rote learning and subject content at the expense of acquiring skills.

“In Geography, they still teach about rubber growing in Malaysia which is no more. Malaysia now grows palm oil. They also teach about the depression in the Tennessee Valley Authority in North America in its ancient state, which was long since, solved.  But how relevant are these to our society?” Droti said.

CURASSE will be studied by students from senior one to senior four. It includes eight learning areas namely, Life Education, Technology and Enterprise, Languages, Social Studies, Religious Education, Science, Maths and Creative Arts.