Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i has said the sector has performed well, but admitted there are some challenges that must be addressed.
In a comprehensive presentation that detailed key milestones the Ministry of Education has reached, Matiang’i lists the key areas that need more focus.
Speaking in Washington DC on Wednesday at a World Bank forum on education reforms in Kenya the CS said the country still faces challenges of quality, relevant education and training.
Specifically, Matiang’i revealed that the Government is grappling with low learning outcomes, inefficiencies in allocation and utilisation of education resources and regional disparities in access to education and learning achievements.
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He also admitted that there is inadequate provision of quality education to vulnerable children and concerns on quality and relevance at the tertiary education level.
Matiang’i cited weaknesses in the development and management of teachers – particularly on professional development – and listed lapses in equitable deployment of teachers and unaccounted for teacher absenteeism cases. In addition to these, the CS also mentioned overcrowding in classrooms and the low teacher-pupil ratios that he said directly hurt the quality of education in public schools and learning outcomes.
In his presentation, Matiang’i said firm reform initiatives are in place to tackle each case through an extensive consultation processes with education stakeholders.
He listed successes in the key areas and observed what must be done in the critical sectors of Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE), examination administration and teacher-development and management.
The other areas listed are the national curriculum review, enhancing quality and relevance of technical and vocational education and training (TVET) and fixing quality assurance and governance in university education.
On curriculum reforms, he said the ministry did a national needs-assessment in 2016, a national steering committee has been established and the Basic Education Curriculum Framework developed and endorsed by stakeholders.
He said the Government is currently piloting the new curriculum in nursery and lower primary schools. Matiang’i said in the next stages, curriculum designs and syllabi, curriculum support materials and teacher education curriculum will be developed ahead of a national roll-out.
Once completed, the new curriculum will prepare learners to meet the 21st century needs, promote a focus on learning and competencies and develop quality and relevant skills for the market.
The CS said the reforms will support inclusive and equitable quality education that promotes lifelong learning opportunities for all.
Teacher development
The last comprehensive curriculum and education system reform was done in 1985 when the 8-4-4 system was implemented. Another review of the curriculum was done in 2003.
Matiang’i said the Government is committed to reforming teacher-development and management processes through the Teachers Service Commission.
He cited as a major milestone the implementation of Performance Contracting (PC) and roll-out of the Teacher Performance Appraisal and Development (TPAD) for all teachers by the TSC.
“These two interventions are aimed at enhancing effective curriculum delivery in the classroom, improving efficiency and enhancing teacher professionalism in schools,” Matiang’i said.
He added that the Government understands that ECDE is a crucial foundation stage for primary education, character-formation and lifelong learning.
“The ECDE policy is under development and takes cognizance of the broad ECDE services, which include, and not limited to education, healthcare, hygiene, nutrition and parental care and protection, provided by different stakeholders and proposes a new framework of coordination,” he said.
On examinations, Matiang’i said cheating was dealt a major blow by elimination of cartels which minted money by messing up the future of children.
“The Government undertook measures to reform governance and management of the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC), as well as the entire examination-setting procedures, processing and marking,” he said, adding that the reforms have so far been successful.
“And I wish to confirm that the Kenya examinations are now credible. We shall not relent with this reform,” he promised.
