Publishers have two weeks to re-submit CBC course materials

Publishers have two weeks to re-submit course materials in 16 subjects to the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) for final verification before printing and distribution of books to schools.

Publishers who were selected to supply Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) course materials for Grade Five to schools have until July 15 to comply with the order. This will help the government roll out CBC in Grade Five next year.

Reopen schools

Though schools are closed, Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha (pictured) has told parents that the government is working hard to put in place measures to combat spread of coronavirus so that schools may reopen on September 1.

Dr Joel Mabonga, the KICD boss said the institute received applications from 181 submissions of course materials from 28 publishers out of which 75 course materials from 18 publishers were selected.

"Out of the 18 publishers that were invited to tender for the government distribution of course materials, nine were awarded to supply the books to public schools, an exercise likely to start in September when schools reopen," Mabonga said yesterday.

He said the books will be evaluated based on conformity to curriculum designs, skills and concepts coverage and language use.

"Other considerations included illustrations and layout being friendly to the targeted learners and each pupil’s book must have a teacher’s guide," Mabonga said in Nairobi during the closing ceremony of book evaluators meet coordinated by curriculum developers from the Ministry of Education.

It was attended by representatives from teachers' training colleges, Kenya National Examination Council, Teachers Service Commission, and teachers from primary and secondary schools.

Mabonga called on publishers to also improve other books that, though not among those being bought by the government, are suitable for curriculum delivery. [Protus Onyango, a 2019/2020 Bertha Fellow]