The rationale for the integrated approach to the teaching of Business Studies

In 2002, Kenya adopted an integrated approach to the teaching of Business Studies.
The rationale (justification) for the integrated approach is based on the following facts.
i) To reduce the workload to be covered in the Secondary School curriculum.
Since the introduction of 8-4-4 curriculum in Kenya in 1984, the Kenyan parents
and other stakeholders in the education sector complaint that the Secondary and
Primary School curriculums were overloaded and too demanding to parents and
students / pupils. It was also perceived as expensive in the implementation
process. In 1999, National Needs Assessment Survey was carried out on the
Ministry of Education. At the same time in 1999, the then Head of State
appointed an Education Commission chaired by Dr. David Koech, the prominent
scholar and research scientist of the time. The Davy Koech led Education
Commission collected views from the members on the weaknesses and the
strengths of the 8-4-4 system and the best ways of reforming the 8-4-4 education
system. The Davy Koech Education Commission collected data, recorded data,
did analysis and made public its findings under TIQUET. But however, its
recommendations were neither adopted nor implemented.
The National Needs Assessment Survey’s recommendations of trimming the
curriculum at both the Primary and Secondary School levels were
implemented. The curriculum at the primary and secondary school levels
were trimmed to the level of what was perceived as manageable load. As a
result, the Secondary School Business Studies curriculum was integrated as
one subject called Business Studies so as to save on teaching staff and other
teaching resources such as textbooks.
ii) There was an overwhelming perception that the sub-branches of Business
Studies (Commerce, Office Practice, Accounting and Economics) are closely
related and the subject matter of these sub-branches reinforces each other in the
teaching and learning process and hence facilitates learning of the closely
related subject matter.
iii) There was a belief that the integrated approach to the teaching of
Business Studies widens the scope of knowledge, skills and attitudes of the
business in the learner. Therefore the wide scope of the knowledge, skills and attitudes of Business Studies enrich the academic orientation of the learners in
the contemporary world.
iv) It was believed that the integrated approach provides learners with a
strong foundation for further studies in Business Studies areas of specialization
at post-secondary school level of education and training.
v) The integrated approach was seen as embracing the current global trends
in the teaching of Business Studies at the Secondary School level. The
progressive countries of the world, such as Canada, Australia and South Korea,
had already adopted the integrated approach to the teaching of Business Studies
at the secondary school level.

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raphael answered the question on August 10, 2021 at 06:10