Ministry flip flops on new curriculum plan : The Standard

Disquiet has hit the education sector following the back-and-forth decisions by top Education ministry officials on curriculum implementation. It has emerged that key sector players are appalled by an abrupt decision to fast-track national roll-out of the competency based 2-6-6-3 curriculum, just days after the ministry released a damning document that laid bare the extent of lack of preparedness in the process. The Standard has established that Education Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed convened a quick meeting at her Jogoo House on Saturday morning, where it was resolved that the one-year extension for national piloting be reversed to pave way for what she termed as "methodical and carefully phased out roll out". In a statement, Ms Amina said the decision was made after her office continued with in-depth deliberations and consultations with other relevant government agencies and stakeholders in the education sector.

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She said the stakeholders had assured her office of the much-needed support to deliver the new curriculum, including "aligning resources towards the exercise". Sources in Government, however, revealed that the top leadership of the country was not impressed by the decision to delay the national roll-out. It emerged that the national leadership asserted that there would never be such a perfect start to national roll-out of the new curriculum, and prevailed upon the ministry officials to make right decisions in the interest of the country. Individuals at the Multi-Sectoral National Steering Committee of the Curriculum Reforms who spoke yesterday said they were worried by the indecisiveness of the ministry's top officials. The steering committee comprises senior ministry officials, Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association, the two teachers’ unions, Kenya Private Schools Association, National Council of Churches of Kenya and Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims, Kenya National Examination Council among others.

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The officials who spoke separately, in confidence, said Kenyans were fast losing confidence in the curriculum implementation due to poor decision making at the ministry. “As stakeholders this is shocking. Piloting had been done, lessons learnt and corrective measures were expected to have been put in place. How another year of piloting was going to assist was unimaginable,” said the steering committee member. The official said there was a thin line between national piloting and a national roll-out. “In each case, the process requires resources in equal measure and it was not clear why Ministry officials again pushed for another year of piloting.” Other members of the National Steering Committee who spoke yesterday questioned whether the gaps cited in the external evaluation report had been sealed.

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They also sought to know why the surprise decision was made without proper consultation through a joint meeting. “Parents need to know whether the Government will buy all the books and if teachers are now well-prepared. No one has communicated to them about this,” the official said.

Related Topics

New Curriculum2-6-6-3 curriculumEducation Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed8-4-4 system