Africa-Press – Kenya. Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has asked the Competency-Based Curriculum task force to endeavour to lay bare facts on the pros and cons of the new system.
In an induction meeting with the 49-member education reforms task force led by Raphael Munavu on Wednesday, Gachagua said the government is interested in knowing the truth and not to be praised.
“Professor Munavu and your team, the way the outgoing CS has said, tell us the truth, raw as it is and don’t look back. We are not interested in being praised and being told what we want to hear,” Gachagua said.
The DP however reiterated that the CBC system is here to stay adding that the task force mandate is to purely assess areas of improvement to make it better for Kenyan learners.
“CBC is going nowhere, it is not being repealed, it is only going to be improved,” said.
Outgoing Education CS George Magoha had exuded confidence that President William Ruto will not scrap CBC.
Magoha who was present at the function said Ruto assured the education stakeholders that CBC will not be scrapped.
“I thank the president for having assured us severally that CBC is going nowhere and we will be working to ensure it survives,” he said.
He tasked the Munavu-led task force to prioritise children in all their decisions.
“Ruto said it is better to focus on the child. To the committee whatever decision you make the constant should be the child”
The formation of the task force is part of President William Ruto’s campaign agenda that sought to address issues and complaints raised by stakeholders on the new system.
Ruto asked the task force to address three major issues on the competency-based curriculum.
In the gazette notice by the president, the task force will submit recommendations on the basic education sector, competency-based curriculum and the higher education sub-sector.
The team is expected to elaborate on the conduct of key tenets in the curriculum.
“Implementation of aspects guiding the competency-based approach including but not limited to value-based education, community service learning, parental empowerment and engagement,” the gazette notice reads.
The team will also evaluate the assessment of learners, the quality assurance and the standards of CBC.
Ruto also directed the team to look into teacher training and deployment.
“The technology for curriculum delivery, improved learning outcomes and education management, public school categorization policies and implications on access, transition, and cost,” the notice reads.
The higher education subsector will also undergo reforms, according to recommendations given by the task force.
Ruto asked that the Munuva team review legislation in the institutions of higher learning.
This includes Technical and vocational training and universities.
“Review and recommend legislation to facilitate the amalgamation of HELB, TVET, and University Funding Boards with a view of harmonizing and merging all tertiary education funding entities,” the notice reads.
He also directed that the task force recommends criteria to implement an open university in Kenya.
“To recommend a framework of operationalizing the National Open University of Kenya and a framework on Open, Distance and E-line learning (ODEL),” the notice reads.
The plan to have an open university was among Ruto’s key pledges during the campaign period.
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