Competition Authority of Kenya has partnered with the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) to mainstream consumers’ rights and market regulation in the Curriculum for Junior and Senior Secondary Schools.
This is in line with CAK’s mandate of promoting public knowledge and awareness of consumers’ obligations, rights and remedies.
Effective January 2023, concepts relating to the two disciplines will be taught in subjects such as Home Science and Business Studies, thereby benefitting over 1.2 Million learners transitioning to Junior Secondary School (Grade 7), a statement released on December 14 said.
In 2024 and 2025, the same concepts will be taught in at least 20 subjects at Grade 8 and 9 respectively and thereafter in over 30 subjects at Senior Secondary (Grade 10, 11 and 12).
The institutions said the skills have been incorporated into the students’ course material through formal and non-formal learning activities.
“The objective of this partnership with the KICD is to prepare and impart young citizens with the capacity to make informed consumer choices at adulthood, especially when faced with different products and services due to increased competition and market complexities,” said Wang’ombe Kariuki, the Authority’s Director-General.
“This is informed by emerging realities, especially in the digital financial services.”
Through classwork activities, students will learn about the responsibilities of businesses toward consumers, reflect on their roles as producers and consumers of goods and services, and their contribution to socioeconomic goals.
The learning activities meant to enhance the concepts taught in the classroom will entail students identifying consumer issues within their community, and discussing possible remedies through, among others, practical assignments, poems, drama, music and dance.
KICD Director Prof. Charles Ong’ondo noted that in the past consumer literacy matters have been narrowly addressed in Business Studies, adding that their targeted inclusion in the Curriculum, under the KICD-CAK collaboration, will broaden the perspective of consumer awareness and appreciation of the importance of competition in markets among young learners.
“Consumer-related issues affect us all irrespective of age. By mainstreaming them in the curriculum, we shall equip our young citizens with the requisite knowledge, skills and values to safeguard them from exploitation by unscrupulous business persons and organizations,” said Ongondo.