Ruto to Decide Junior Secondary Hosting
President William Ruto stated on Thursday that junior secondary school (JSS) students would soon know whether they would attend primary or secondary school.
Dr Ruto indicated during the initial Cabinet meeting he would provide “guidance” on the matter based on the recommendations of the Presidential Working Group evaluating the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).
A statement released after the Cabinet meeting said that the Presidential Working Group had given an updated assessment.
“The meeting noted that the Presidential Working Party had thus far conducted public hearings in a total of 37 counties. In that regard, the team would conclude the county hearings and thereafter receive oral submissions from stakeholders, including Teachers Unions, Associations, Parliament, and others by November 24, 2022,” read the statement.
From November 28 to 30, about 3.5 million Grade Six students are scheduled to take a national primary school assessment concurrently with the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examination.
From November 21 to December 23, Form Four students will take the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination.
The Working group on Education reforms constituted by President William Ruto in September is in Kiambu to assess the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) and other education sector changes.
Team four, which has been covering the Central area, will spend the next day in Kiambu County listening to the perspectives of parents, communities, and even teachers on educational concerns before submitting their suggestions to the President.
Prof. Stephen Kiama, Vice Chancellor of the University of Nairobi, and his colleagues have been touring the central region, where they have gathered opinions, difficulties, experiences, and preparedness regarding the entire education sector, not just CBC education for children.
“We started in Nyandarua, Kirinyaga, Embu, Nyeri, Muranga and now in Kiambu. He added that we have visited institutions and talked to parents and communities, including teachers and received their views”.
He observed that when they listened to the public, they believed the exercise should have been conducted much earlier.
Prof. Kiama stressed that the President’s comprehensive strategy for education is not limited to the CBC, as many believe, but encompasses early childhood education, adult education, and basic education that includes primary and secondary schools, TVETs, and universities.
He said what the team is covering concerns whether to do with governance, legislations essential for proper learning, Financing and issues to do with the structure of curriculum implementation.
Prof. Kiama recognized that there have been several education-related discussions and that the nation eagerly awaits the President’s remarks regarding grade 6 and their future.
“We are fully aware and we are prepared to advise the President in the shortest time possible. At the end of November and beginning of December we should be able to have in our minds based on the views received what needs to be done on grade six(6)”, he said.
Prof. Kiama noted that speaking with Kenyans is rather intriguing because most of them are sure that the CBC curriculum is a wonderful thing and the appropriate decision because youngsters are becoming increasingly involved in daily duties.
He noted, however, that they have also expressed concerns and questions, particularly on how much a parent is expected to contribute and be involved in delivering the curriculum and the additional materials they are employing.
He emphasized that most parents have stated they are utilizing more resources and requesting that the government provide more.
Additionally, the Parents prefer that most of the pupils’ practical work be completed at school rather than at home.
‘Most parents are challenged and do not know the contents of the curriculum, including the money they are required to pay”, he said.
Kiambu County Commissioner Joshua Nkanatha, who welcomed the team before sending them to other institutions to hear the opinions of locals, stated that the county was prepared to host the team to hear what the locals had to say.
“We want the transition from the grade 6 to Junior secondary school which most people are skeptical on to go on smoothly. We want all the people from parents, teachers and community to be involved”, he added.
On Thursday, the team visited Kiambu Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Thogoto Teachers College, and other primary and secondary schools, such as Alliance Girls High School.
Those unable to do so orally are encouraged to submit their opinions in writing to the Presidential working groups on education reform based on the terms of reference outlined in the Kenya Gazette Notice.
On September 30, 2022, President William Ruto created a 42-member committee to assess the country’s education system and make recommendations, the most important of which was a suitable structure for implementing the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).
President Ruto said that the Working Group on Education Reform would work for six months and give him an update every two months from when it was set up.