Kamenu Community Based Organisation (CBO) founder and Chairperson Esther Mueni has called for a review of the current 8-4-4 education system.
Speaking on Sunday at Equator Boys High School in Thika where the CBO has organised a rite of passage programme for 300 boys who left class eight this year, Mueni also called for the re-introduction of handicraft subjects like Art and Craft, Home Science at the primary level.
Mueni asserted that the subjects, when they were being taught in primary schools, provided pupils leaving class 8 with essential skills that enabled those who were unable to transition to secondary school to go on with life well.
"During our time boys left primary school with a variety of skills like carpentry while girls could do things like pottery, cake making and many other things," said Mueni.
She added: "Today, we have these boys here who have completed class 8 but maybe only a few of them can be able to hold a hammer and do something with it. Same with our girls."
Though Mueni appreciated that there are now village polytechnics that cater for leavers who don't make it to high school, she insisted that such skills should also be learnt by those who proceed to the next level of education.
"Nowadays we have family men who are graduates but can hardly hammer a nail on the wall to hang something. Family wives who have to hire housegirls because they can barely cook. A review of the current curriculum is now needed more than ever," she said.