If you’ve been following up news from Kenya’s education sector, especially with the ongoing phasing out of the old 8-4-4 system in favor of CBC, you must have heard people speaking about syllabus and curriculum. These words are more than often loosely used in most educational discussions, and I know like myself, there are some of you who have been wondering exactly what the words “curriculum” and “syllabus” mean and if they can be used interchangeably. Here in Kenya, like many other places, they are confusing terms as they come up in various contexts to refer to more or less the same thing. Let’s get deeper into the details that distinguish them in an attempt to satisfy both teachers and learners, and whoever the stakeholder is.
1. Definition of Curriculum and Syllabus
Curriculum:
A curriculum is a general framework that prescribes what the learners are expected to learn and the experience they are to go through for a particular period, normally spread across grades or levels of schooling. It consists of the general goals, objectives, subject matter, intended learning outcomes, teaching approach, methods of evaluation and materials to be used.
Syllabus:
A syllabus is a document that outlines a breakout of selected topics, units, or lessons in a particular subject or course. It is more like a roadmap for educators and learners, stipulating what is going to be taught and learned within a certain timeframe—for example, a term or semester.
2. Scope and Coverage
Curriculum:
Curriculum designs are implemented to address a wide area that covers topics to be taught, methods of teaching to be used, and assessment techniques to be implemented. The major aim of the curriculum is to take the learners through an extensive learning course that will empower them to obtain different skills and knowledge. The curriculum of Kenya can be designed to effectively suit the needs of all its learners in every level of learning all the way from early childhood education to higher education levels.
Syllabus:
Unlike the curriculum, syllabus is more specific in that it details the topics, the subtopics, and the reasons each of such topics and subtopics needs to be covered over a specific period of time. It has topics, subtopics, and objectives specific to a set time limit within which to meet. In Kenya for example, the government has designed unique syllabi for each subject at every level; it sort of serves as a tailor-made guide.
3. Development and Implementation
Curriculum:
The process of designing and developing a curriculum involves the curriculists, curriculum designers, governments like the Ministry of Education, and the curriculum developers at the national level. In Kenya, KICD is the institution at the national level responsible for designing and empowered to alter the primary school curriculum at any time so that it meets the demands of the time. Changing the curriculum shifted the collective responsibility to be implemented by schools, teachers, and education administrators.
Syllabus:
Syllabi design falls within the broad framework of the curriculum. The design of syllabi is congruence with the overall objectives and standards as prescribed by the curriculum, as to be so ensured by the subject experts and teachers. The delivery of the syllabus content is vividly the role and responsibility of teachers.
4. Flexibility
Curriculum:
It gives a framework of the curriculum but at the same time allows room for flexibility in achieving the set goals, thus leaving schools and teachers to choose manners of teaching and resources to use in realizing the general goals and standards.
Syllabus:
The syllabus is even more rigid in regard to the topics that must be covered. Still, it allows for some flexibility on the part of the teacher in teaching pace, and even methodology. For example, they could adapt to their students pace but within a framework.
5. Level of Stress and Focus
Curriculum:
The curriculum pitches towards rendering education rich in social and emotional development. Its objective is to make students ready to face life in terms of pursuing higher education, entering the job market, and full involvement in social activities.
Syllabus:
The syllabus is more oriented towards the delivery of the subject matter. Its primary purpose is to aid teacher and learner in the progression of the learning journey for a particular subject by topic coverage and attainment of all the related learning objectives.
6. Assessment Methods
Curriculum:
The assessment methods within the curriculum are varied and multi-dimensional. They comprise the following: formative assessment, a process to track the progress of the students over time, and summative ones, which could be in the form of final examinations or standardized attainment tests towards the final to witness the overall outcome of the learning.
Syllabus:
The syllabus outlines assessment for the subject class. It indicates the occurrences of exams, quizzes, assignments, projects, and so on, through which assessment will be done to gauge understanding and mastery of the material.