KIE seeks full control of school curricula

The Kenya Institute of Education might have full control of the curricula in the country if a Bill authored by the agency becomes law.

According to the new Bill, KIE will also change its name to the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) to give it a wider mandate and rope in more representatives from the education sector. (READ: Education changes begin to take form in new order)

Based on the Constitution, the Bill seeks to retain the power of the Education minister to appoint the chairman of the institute’s council.

The 11-member council charged with managing the assets of the institute will have to comply with the gender parity rule.

At the same time, the Bill seeks to expand the membership of the Academic Committee, which is charged with developing syllabi for pupils in schools.

If it passes into law, it will mean that representatives from all public and private university education faculties will sit in the committee.

Currently, the University of Nairobi is the only institution that has representation in the committee, according to the Education Act.

The law is not specific on which other universities should be included in the committee that determines what pupils learn at school, but says “the maintained colleges of Kenya” may be represented”.

The Commission for Higher Education, the Kenya Institute of Special Education, the Kenya National Examinations Council, the Teachers Service Commission and the State Department of Education will provide other members for the committee.

It is not clear whether professional trainers’ associations will also be represented but Section 18(5) of the Bill says that “the Committee may co-opt other persons whose knowledge and experience it may find necessary for the performance of its functions”.

Normally, the role of the institute involves co-ordination of institutions devoted to the creation of curricula to be followed by primary, secondary and tertiary institutions.

It also develops standards for the training of early childhood tutors as well as syllabi for professional trainers.

As a government agency, it also conducts research on education matters and gives recommendations to the government on the changes that should be made.

However, it is the Ministry of Education that calls the shots on how the institute is supposed to function and what duties it has to perform.

The government may also increase some of the functions from time to time.

Despite the fact that the State Department of Education will be a member in the committee, the Academic Committee, though answerable to the council, “may establish its own rules of procedure”.

While the Bill does not compel the proposed KICD to have branches countrywide, it states that the institute will be free to choose its place for its headquarters and may open branches in other parts of the country.