Lawyer puts Government to task over CBC
Grade Four and Five learners will take a national test at the end of the month as part of the continuous assessment that will determine their final score when they exit primary school.
A Nakuru based lawyer has put to task the Ministry of Education to explain the status of preparedness ahead of the learners’ transition to the junior secondary schools.
Ms Sheila Sabaya, an Advocate of the high court practicing under Sabaya and Associates Company advocates based in Nakuru has written to the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) seeking information regarding the institution’s preparedness for the transition of learners from primary to junior secondary school.
Ms Sabaya is further seeking to be furnished with a comprehensive action plan prepared by the government for the implementation of the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC), especially at the junior secondary school level.
The lawyer has threatened to move to court within 30 days to stop the transition to junior secondary school should there be no proper information and measures to safeguard the welfare of the learners.
“As Kenyans of goodwill and as a law firm that strives to get justice for the marginalized, we are cognizant of the fact that children are acknowledged in part III of our constitution as special groups. It is on that basis that we make a formal request for the particulars afforested,” read part of the letter seen by the Nation.
In addition, the lawyer seeks to establish the infrastructural capacity of Kenya secondary schools to host the pioneer class and its sustainability.
She seeks to know the personnel capacity and their qualifications to tutor grades 7, 8 and 9 as well as the practicability of the learners in the junior secondary schools.
She also wants to understand the measures put in place to protect the very young learners transitioning to junior secondary schools from bullying or any other forms of abuse from older students including sexual abuse and harassment.
The roadmap for the transition from junior high to high School is also under the spotlight as well as the particulars of the civic education programs that have been disseminated for the purposes of preparing parents and learners for the transition.
“Please let us have the requested information within 30 days of this letter failure to which we shall file a formal petition before court to stop the transition until proper information and measures are put in place for care and protection of our learners joining grade 7, 8 and 9,” read the letter.
As the Pioneer CBC class prepares to write their final Grade six examinations at the end of the year, the Education Cabinet secretary has said all is set for their transition to the junior high.
Speaking in Nakuru during his mop up exercise for the 100 per cent transition, Prof Magoha said students joining junior secondary will be hosted in both day and boarding secondary schools.
“The Ministry has identified 1,500 primary schools that will host junior secondary schools because they have adequate learning and teaching facilities and land for physical expansion. Some of these schools will be developed further to have a full-fledged secondary wing in the future,” Magoha said.
