Kenyans want children taught good manners and their mother tongue

The Needs Assessment Report (2016) proposes that nursery education takes a maximum of two years and be attended by children of between four and five years. [PHOTO: FILE/ STANDARD]

A new survey indicates that Kenyans want nursery school pupils taught good manners and their mother tongue.

The Standard on Sunday has obtained a report of the survey conducted by the Kenya Institute Curriculum Development (KICD) on proposed curriculum.

The Needs Assessment Report (2016) shows that Kenyans want their children taught mathematics, life skills and creative arts right from nursery.

“Throwing litter, washing hands, using courteous language; basic communication skills such as reading and writing; counting, mannerisms, knowing the environment, socialisation and religious values should be emphasised,” reads the report.

Public speaking, writing, physical education, drawing, simple mathematical concepts have also been listed among top ranking proposals to be included in the early grade-learning curriculum.

The details of the findings come ahead of the curriculum design stage that Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i said would be ready by June. Already, Dr Matiang’i has constituted a 36-member National Steering Committee to spearhead the process.

The report says Kenyans proposed that nursery education take a maximum of two years and be attended by children of between four and five years.

Fundamental abilities

Other areas suggested for emphasis in the report are national values, life skills, personal safety (security), knowledge and practice; values associated with the common good, communal responsibility and respect for other people’s property.

Technology, emotional awareness, empathy, self-regulation and conflict resolution; respect for the rule of law, appreciation for democracy; creative arts and expression are also to be included in early learning.

Some 2,431 participants took part in the KICD study.

The participants included primary school pupils, secondary and college students, parents, teachers, heads of school, workers in the informal sector and industry, education field officers and stakeholders.

The survey identifies communication skills, numeracy, creativity and manipulation; social and life skills as some of the fundamental abilities that must be cultivated among the children.

Environmental awareness, respect for life, nutrition and health; religion and ethics; values related to hard work, truthfulness and integrity are also listed as skills that nursery children ought to be taught.

Nursery school teachers interviewed ranked environmental protection, patriotism and social development–in that order–to be included in the curriculum from the foundation level.

Majority of the teachers interviewed said nursery school children must be taught creativity, organising, interpersonal relationships, planning, coordination skills and decision-making.

The report says Kenyans want nursery children taught using riddles, songs, demonstrations and thematic approaches, in that order.

“Other respondents proposed diversified ways of learning such as peer learning, modeling, use of pictures, role play, demonstrations, debates, projects, field work and practical system be strengthened in schools as some of pedagogical approaches to be used,” reads the document.

Majority of those interviewed proposed continuous assessment for the pupils.

“Progress assessment was rated highest at 96 per cent compared to observation checklist at 92.2 per cent and continuous assessment at 88.2 per cent,” reads the report.

However, the summative assessment, end of term examination was rated at 82.8 per cent and end of year examination at 83.6 per cent.

“From the findings, formative assessment should be more emphasized than summative assessment in the envisaged ECDE curriculum,” the report says.

On nurturing learners talents, the respondents proposed that more time should be allocated to games and sports, clubs and societies.

Curriculum enrichment, ability groupings and mentorship programmes were also cited as key in nurturing talent.

During early learning, the study finds that classrooms were the most needed resources, playground, furniture and toilets in that order.

“The least available resources were IPads (99.2 per cent), IPods (97.5 per cent), recording studio (98.3 per cent), storage devices (86.7 per cent), computers (86.7 per cent), radio (84.2 per cent) and mobile phones (85.8 per cent).