Delegates buy textbooks from publishers during the first day of the Kepsha conference at Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Primary School in Mombasa County on November 7, 2023.
| Kevin Odit | Nation Media GroupEducation
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Head teachers raise concerns over Competency-Based Curriculum
Head teachers have poked holes into the Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms, saying transitioning from the 8-4-4 system to a Competency-Based Curriculum will require significant adjustments.
The teachers said the reforms require infrastructural resources and there will likely be increased complexity in managing a comprehensive school set-up due to the diverse needs and developmental stages for learners.
The reforms panel proposes the creation of comprehensive schools that will have pre-primary, primary and Junior Secondary Schools in the same compound.
The teachers spoke at the Kenya Primary Schools Head Teachers Association (Kepsha) annual conference that began at Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Primary School in Mombasa on Tuesday.
More than 10,000 school managers are attending the conference.
Kepsha national chairperson Johnson Nzioka said that there needs to be a seamless transition to the new curriculum.
“Continuity can enhance the quality of learning and facilitate a smoother change over academically. Integration of different levels allows for a more holistic approach to education, addressing the cognitive, social and emotional development of learners throughout their formative years,” said Mr Nzioka.
He said a single leadership may allow for more consistent management and coordination across the levels, ensuring alignment in school policies, curriculum programmes and teaching methods.
“Consolidating resources across the levels will allow for sharing of facilities, staff and instructional materials, enhancing cost savings and efficient resource allocation in the long run. Teachers and administrators across various levels can collaborate more closely, sharing best practices and collectively working towards common educational goals,” said Mr Nzioka.
He said this will ease the assessment of learners’ overall performance and progress across the levels, particularly if the data sets and monitoring systems are well synchronised under one administration.
Diverse stages
However, the teachers said that there will be challenges in managing the diverse developmental stages of learners.
“There will be likely heavier administrative workload that calls for enhanced coordination among various stakeholders to address the unique issues at each level, balancing resources and priorities to ensure each level receives adequate attention,” said Mr Nzioka.
He said aligning and integrating the curriculum across the levels may be time-consuming and necessitate additional skill sets for school staff, to address the needs of different age groups of learners and curriculums.
“Engaging parents and the community in a comprehensive school set-up may require different strategies and increased effort to ensure their active involvement and support. There will be likely increased complexity in accountability for student performance and learning outcomes,” said Mr Nzioka.
Internet connectivity
He said access to the necessary technology and internet connectivity may be lacking or limited for some learners.
The teachers called for investments in infrastructure and support for disadvantaged schools and learners.
“School heads, teachers and administrative staff require training and ongoing support to effectively use technology. Kepsha needs to consider upscaling of professional development,” said Mr Nzioka.
They called for the coordination and communication between the Pre-primary and Primary teachers to ensure a smooth transition, training and professional development of Pre-primary School teachers to effectively strengthen foundational learning.
“Provision of the necessary resources, including materials and facilities for Pre-primary- Education of all learners including those with special needs as well as diverse cultural backgrounds. Parental involvement in the learning of their children and long-term planning to ensure a smooth transition from Pre-primary to Primary Education,” said Mr Nzioka.
He said the Ministry of Education should engage with the County Governments, local communities and stakeholders to build support for Early Years Education.
He urged the MoE, government authorities, Kepsha, other teacher professional associations, the private sector, education stakeholders, and trade unions to work together to address several critical issues in equitable school resource allocation.
“Professional development for school leaders, staff, parents and stakeholders. Coordination among different levels of comprehensive schools. Support programs for learners, including school meals, chaplaincy, guidance and counselling and mentoring. Workload and well-being of education implementers,” he added.
