Competence Based Curriculum: Sticky issues for the uptake of STEM education and STEM careers in Africa
Date
2019-08
Authors
Otieno, Herine
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Strathmore University
Abstract
In the last decade, education policy in a many African countries has shifted to SBS Competence
based education. Seen to resonate with and originate from global discourses on human capital
theory and the current push to build a global workforce for the 21st century, the increased
adoption of competence based education curriculum by African government continues to be
fronted as key requirement for national economic growth. Using the proposed Kenyan
Competence based curriculum as a case study this article provides a social-cultural theoretical
reflection on some of the limitations of competency based curriculuxn as is currently promoted
in some of the African countries in equitably supporting African students access to quality
STEM education and transition STEM careers in the 21st century. Conclusions point to the
need for bi/multilateral institutions such as the World Bank to desist from promoting one-sizefits
all education models for Africa. A suggestion is made for key Pan-African STEM based
institution such African Institute of Mathematical sciences (AIMS) to take a leadership role in
advising the African governments on the merits and demerits of implementing a competency
based curriculum.
Description
Paper presented at the 5th Strathmore International Mathematics Conference (SIMC 2019), 12 - 16 August 2019, Strathmore University, Nairobi, Kenya
Keywords
Human capital, Knowledge economy, Competencies-based Curriculums