Nzomo says CBC, technology are the future of education

Teachers Service Commission (TSC) Chairperson Lydia Nzomo has insisted on the need for teachers and other education stakeholders to embrace the recently rolled out Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) and use of digital technology.

Speaking at Chuka University in Tharaka-Nithi County on Wednesday during the TSC Eastern region's third annual open day, Dr Nzomo said that CBC equips leaners with the ability to apply knowledge, skills and values taught in schools to solve life’s problems.

The forum dubbed 'Integrating Technology and Innovation for Quality Teaching' brought together education stakeholders from Tharaka-Nithi, Meru, Kirinyaga and Embu counties.

CBC TRAINING

She said to ensure that teachers are adequately prepared to successfully steer the CBC, the commission has so far trained 181 master trainers who in turn taught 1,165 curriculum support officers and 1,320 CBC champions as trainers of trainers.

“In total, the commission has so far trained 159,810 teachers and 68,490 others are scheduled to be trained in December, bringing the total to 288,000 by the end of the year,” said Dr Nzomo.

Kenya National Union of Teachers Tharaka-Nithi County Secretary General Njeru Mutani and his Kenya Union of Post Primary Teachers counterpart Patrick Gitonga lauded the CBC and promised to support it.

LEARNERS' SAFETY

Dr Nzomo said the safety of learners is one of the greatest concerns of the commission and asked teachers to not only take care of the learners while in school but also monitor them while outside.

“The Code of Conduct and Ethics for Teachers, 2015 has tasked teachers with the responsibility of protecting children from abuse, neglect, harmful cultural practices, all forms of violence, discrimination, inhuman treatment, corporal punishment and exposure to hazardous or exploitative labour,” she said.

INTEGRATE TECHNOLOGY

Dr Nzomo said the commission is committed to embracing and integrating technology and innovation in its operations such as adoption of biometric attendance registers in schools.

She said in November this year, the commission will roll out THE use of electronic teachers files which are currently being scanned to have them in electronic form.

“Once we move digital, cases of missing files will now be a thing of the past and it will be possible for more than one person to access one file at the same time,” she said.

Best teachers and schools in curricular and extra-curricular activities in the region were awarded by the commission.