Give schools conducive environment to perform

Schools reopen Monday for the second term, the longest and heavily-packed in the academic calendar. As the term begins, the authorities and stakeholders have a chance to address various issues affecting the education sector.

First is implementation of the Competence Based Curriculum in grades one to three and which is saddled with controversies.

Last week, the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) caused a rumpus over training of teachers on the curriculum on the grounds that one; the implementation of the programme had not been anchored in law; two, inadequate consultation of the stakeholders; and three, doubts over quality of the training itself.

As we pointed out then, threatening to boycott the training was ill-advised but the issues the union raised were pertinent and must be addressed. Failure to do the right thing, including putting in place the legislative framework, risks undermining the legitimacy and roll-out of the programme. Thus, Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha must quickly initiate the process of legalising the process, gazetting the national steering committee, convening a national conference for stakeholder consultation and intensifying teacher training.

Second, government must address itself to proper funding of schools. Free Primary Education programme started in the Kibaki administration is tottering on the brink of collapse because of poor funding.

Most public primary schools are in pathetic state, suffering serious shortage of facilities and equipment.

Secondary schools are even in worse condition following the expanded Form One admission this year under the 100 per cent transition campaign. Two issues are intertwined here. One, in line with fees subsidy programme for students, the government allocates Sh22,000 for every student in secondary school annually.

In reality, the cash is hardly sent to schools and when it is, it is sent late and not in full.

Two, the government has imposed a fees caveat at a maximum of Sh53,000 a year, a figure in force since 2015. This is inadequate to run school programmes. Arising out of these, schools are cash-starved and that affects teaching.

A third challenge is the perennial teacher shortage that has worsened in recent times due to the expanded enrolment of learners at all levels. Cash crunch is linked to Treasury’s funding of the education sector – insistence on cost-cutting and staff rationalisation.

But a country aspiring to join the ranks of industrialised nations cannot afford not to invest properly in education and specifically, teachers and learning resources.

Cumulatively, second term is loaded with academic and co-curricular activities and traditionally has been associated with strikes because of many pressures. School managers must plan properly and respond to learners’ needs appropriately.

They must create a stable and conducive environment for teaching and learning.