OBE blamed for decline in quality

By HELEN TARAWA
THE decline in the quality of education in the country has been blamed on the introduction of the outcome-based education (OBE)curriculum which is now being phased out.
Education Minister Nick Kuman told The National that well-researched reports had shown a clear decline in the standard of education in the country.
He said the Government in 2013 decided to drop the OBE curriculum based on the report from the Pacific education system which showed a decline.
“The Government made a decision to exit the OBE and reintroduce the standard-based education curriculum,” Kuman said.
The decline in quality education, especially in mathematics and science, was noticed after the OBE was introduced in 1999.
“The major reform is that we rolled out the SBE as soon as possible. We relooked at the national curriculum framework and reviewed it. It’s going to go before Cabinet,” he said.
“Our deadline is that by 2020, we should be able to fully implement the SBE.”
Kuman said the standard-based curriculum was a planned programme sanctioned by the national education system while the OBE was designed to let the children choose for themselves. “We saw the weaknesses because the students decided or parents decided for the children to meet those outcomes,” he said.
“Cabinet has decided to abolish the elementary schools and reintroduce the preps. So the prep schools will still remain in the current elementary institutions.”