Solidarity Day and Boarding Primary School

Grade 4 pupils at Solidarity Day and Boarding Primary School Ruai in Nairobi County leaning about Soil particles in the Competency based Curriculum (CBC) lessons at their School on January 16, 2020.

| Evans Habil | Nation Media Group

CBC report yet to be made public weeks after launch

What you need to know:

  • Authorities have also resisted inquiries about the cost of implementing the new education system. 
  • Also kept away from the public is the human resource and how the government intends to bridge the gaps.

More than two weeks after President Uhuru Kenyatta launched a report by a task force on the competency-based curriculum (CBC), the document is yet to be made public and State officials are not even sure where to find it.

Detailed contents of the 15-chapter document continue to be kept under wraps, just as authorities have resisted inquiries about the cost of implementing the new education system. 

The secrecy surrounding the report is puzzling, with top State bureaucrats not sure if it is for public consumption. 

The report, “Enhancing Access, Relevance, Transition, Equity and Quality for Effective Curriculum Reforms Implementation” was launched by Mr Kenyatta on February 9. 

The task force finished compiling the document in December.

After the launch, the Ministry of Education provided a summary of the report, which only highlights some of the recommendations. 

Education system

The complete document was then handed to Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha, Teachers Service Commission chief executive Nancy Macharia, Kenya National Examinations Council acting CEO Mercy Karogo, Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development head Charles Ong’ondo and a few other officials.

The task force was chaired by Kenyatta University Deputy Vice Chancellor Fatuma Chege. 

In his address during the launch, the President described the report as “a turning point in our education system”, declaring that it belongs to the public.

However, details of the proposals made by the team that was appointed in June 2019 remain with a few officials despite the challenges teachers, parents and education bosses face. 

Efforts by the Nation yesterday to establish how the public can access the report were futile.

Early Learning and Basic Education Principal Secretary Julius Jwan said the document was printed by the Government Press and directed the Nation there. But even after enquiries, the report was not made available.

Government expenditure

“Once we finish printing, we pass the documents to the relevant ministry. We don’t retain anything,” Government Press chief executive Mwenda Njoka said. 

He pledged to find out if it was printed at the firm and later returned a message: “I have checked. It’s not with us.”

Dr Jwan promised to “follow up” but had not returned to us by the time of going to press.

Issues Kenyans are still in the dark over include the financing of the new system of education.

The government expenditure on education is expected to rise sharply because of the investment in infrastructure and equipment to cater for new learning areas.

Of concern to stakeholders is the transition from the levels introduced in the curriculum and the suggested assessment. 

Human resource

Though transition from primary to junior secondary school will be guaranteed, there will be a combination of formative from Grade Four and summative assessments when learners are in Grade Six.

The summary released by the ministry is short on how teachers at all levels will be trained or reskilled to cope with the rigours of the CBC. 

Also kept away from the public is the human resource and how the government intends to bridge the gaps.

High schools will have a staffing crisis as there will be more learners in the segment from 2023 when the CBC pioneer class joins junior secondary school alongside the four other 8-4-4 classes.

There will be double intakes for the next two years when the last class in the old system leaves primary school.