106,000 tutors to begin training on new syllabus
Teachers are trained on the competency-based curriculum at Lake Primary School in Kisumu on April 26, 2019. The system is set to be rolled out to Grade Four learners. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- This will bring the number of teachers so far trained since introduction of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) to 228,000.
- A list of approved books was made public in mainstream media and on the KICD website to ensure that parents and teachers are well-guided.
Up to 106,000 primary school teachers will be trained countrywide on the new curriculum from today to Sunday ahead of the roll out in Grade Four.
This will bring the number of teachers so far trained since introduction of the competency-based curriculum (CBC) to 228,000.
Last April, 91,320 teachers were trained to handle grades one to three, another 68,490 were trained in August.
According to Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha, the training will ensure that teachers are well prepared.
Teacher training is one of the strategies that the ministry, in collaboration with the Teachers Service Commission, is undertaking to ensure successful implementation of the new curriculum.
The government launched the new curriculum last January. The ministry, in October, directed the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) and publishers not to delay the distribution of Grade 4 textbooks.
ALL-ROUNDED STUDENTS
A list of approved books was made public in mainstream media and on the KICD website to ensure that parents and teachers are well-guided.
Kenya Publishers Association chairman Lawrence Njagi assured Kenyans that the books will be delivered and publishers were already working round the clock to ensure that the distribution process is successful.
The books are for Kiswahili, English, Mathematics, Social Studies, CRE, IRE, Home Science, Agriculture, Science and Technology, Music and Arts subjects.
Continuous assessment is emphasised in the new system of education as opposed to one-off examinations in the current one.
The KICD revised the syllabus to include core competences as well as contemporary issues to ensure all-round learning.
Meanwhile, tutors have asked the government to hire more teachers to ensure smooth implementation of the new system.
ADDRESS SHORTAGE
Kenya Primary Heads Association chairman Nicholas Gathemia said teacher shortage could frustrate efforts to implement the new system.
“The new curriculum is good and I believe it has been long overdue. But we must put all the necessary factors in place to make sure it works,” he said.
On Wednesday, Kenya National Union of Teachers Secretary-General Wilson Sossion said the government has been rushing implementation of system.
“For a curriculum to be effective, teachers must be well-trained and adequate consultation with relevant education stakeholders must be done,” he said.
