New curriculum on course as schools reopen for 2nd term

Schools have reopened for second term after the short April break.

The new term begins after 91,000 teachers underwent four day training for the Competence Based Curriculum.

The teachers were taught how to develop specific learning outcomes for a lesson and how to engage pupils in learning areas.

On Saturday, Education Cabinet Secretary (CS) Prof. George Magoha said the phase one of the CBC was largely successful despite some few hiccups.

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Speaking in Kisumu after visiting Lake Primary school to assess progress of the exercise, Prof. Magoha disclosed that the ministry will use ICT resources to train the remaining teachers from August to ensure all the tutors are equipped with requisite skills to implement the new curriculum.

The CS said the curriculum was the best for the country and asked the teachers union to suggest areas that they would want improved instead of frustrating its implementation.

“I have been to several schools at the coast, Nairobi, Western and Nyanza and teachers have embraced the trainings. They are enthusiastic about the idea and this is the way to go,’’ he said, adding that it was wrong for KNUT leadership to oppose implementation of the curriculum which they had initially vouched for.

Prof. Magoha however admitted that the ministry may not be perfect on how it had handled the program but the government was willing to listen to views of every education stakeholder on how to further improve the same.

The CS also disclosed that the process to anchor the program in law was at advanced stage and the ministry hopes to a have a seasonal paper enacted by parliament in June.

Magoha said the draft sessional paper was already before parliament and will be tabled for debate and adoption in line with the calendar of the national assembly.

Parliament has its own calendar which we in the ministry cannot control but we are hopeful that by June we shall have the sessional paper in place, he added

At the same time, he dismissed reports in a section of the local dailies that claimed KNEC would administer national exams beginning from grade 3 and the new curriculum.

The CS said the statements were incorrect clarifying that the essence of the new curriculum was continuous assessment.

The assessment, he said will be done within the respective schools.

On Sunday, the ministry of education began dispatching over 12 million textbooks for the new Curriculum. The books will go directly to public schools countrywide.

” We are starting the exercise of delivering 12,360,000 textbooks starting today
28th April 2019 to 15th May 2019. The textbooks will be delivered directly to schools and issued to pupils for immediate use in implementing the CBC. These books cover 10 Learning Areas namely: Environmental Activities, Music Activities, English Literacy Activities, Kiswahili Literacy Activities, Hygiene & Nutrition Activities, Art & Craft Activities, Movement Activities, Christian Religious Education Activities, Islamic Religious Education Activities and Hindu Religious Education Activities.” He said.

According to Education Cabinet Secretary Professor George Magoha, the ministry shall also provide digital materials for the program before end of May this year.

He also directed all school principals to comply with the government guidelines on fees.

“No school should charge more than what the Ministry has stipulated in the approved fees structure. Firm action will be taken against schools that introduce additional levies on parents, without approval of the Ministry of Education. To this effect, I direct all field officers to ensure the school fees guidelines are complied with to the letter.” He added.