One month to air views on school system

The public and organisations with a stake in education have one month to submit their views on a report proposing major changes to the system. (READ: Education: Major changes revealed)

Education minister Prof Sam Ongeri said on Saturday that all views would be discussed at a national conference in March.

The changes are expected to make the system compliant with the Constitution and the goals of Vision 2030.

Speaking after receiving the report by the taskforce led by former Moi University vice-chancellor, Prof Douglas Odhiambo, the minister said it was too early to pass judgment.

“The impression up to yesterday (Thursday) was that we had accepted the report. What we have is a white paper,” said Prof Ongeri at the Kenya Institute of Education in Nairobi.

He said there would be consultations before the sessional paper is prepared, a Cabinet memo put together and the laws needed to effect the system presented to Parliament.

The taskforce proposed that Kenya scrap the 8-4-4 system and adopt a 2-6-3-3 format where learners begin to specialise in the last three years of secondary school.

Among issues that have attracted the attention of teachers’ unions and civil society is the money the government would have to fork out to implement the changes.

The Kenya National Union of Teachers and Elimu Yetu Coalition argue that the Sh360 billion needed for infrastructure, textbooks and the hiring of 52,365 teachers would burden the taxpayer.

But according to Prof Odhiambo, this was necessary if Kenya is to become an industrialised economy with an annual growth rate of 10 per cent as envisaged by Vision 2030.

“It has to be expensive. Good things are not cheap,” said Prof Odhiambo.

“If anybody is saying the cost is too high, tell them ‘This is an investment.’ This is the cost of getting well-trained manpower. Let’s give education priority number one,” he said.

Prof Odhiambo said the increased cost arises from the introduction of Early Childhood Development education, which will require new teachers and infrastructure.

Increases in grants to schools to build more classrooms, laboratories and buy equipment would also increase the cost.

Prof Ongeri was hesitant to take a firm stand on the matter, but said that the costing “is realistic.”

Permanent Secretary Prof James ole Kiyiapi said: “It is going to cost us a lot of money but we need to get it right.”