CS Amina Mohamed says Government committed to make new curriculum a success

CS Amina Mohamed being taken through a science experiment. Looking on is CEMASTEA Director Stephen Njoroge Photo by Dan Orero.

Education Cabinet Secretary Dr Amina Mohamed has affirmed the government’s commitment to promote innovativeness, inventiveness, creativity, and technology transfer culture in schools as demanded by the new curriculum.

She said the need to entrench science,  technology and innovation into the national production system and related purposes was highlighted in the  Constitution of Kenya, 2010, the Kenya Vision 2030, the National Education Sector Plan (NESP) 2014-2018, the Sessional Paper No. 2 of 2016, the Basic Education Act 2013, Science, Technology and Innovation Act, 2013.

Dr Mohamed who was touring the Centre for Mathematics, Science and Technology Education in Africa (CEMASTEA) said focus in the new education curriculum had shifted from mere transfer of knowledge  to equipping students with critical thinking, problem solving, creative and collaborative skills to improve employability

“I am pleased to see innovative activities displayed here and the set of equipment being distributed to Science, Technology and Mathematics (STEM) schools,” she said.

She described as timely CEMASTEA’s Primary INSET programme that targets tutors in Primary Teacher Training Colleges and teachers in Primary Schools and the pioneer Secondary INSET programme that trains 1,500 trainers of trainers across 47 counties annually.

The CS hailed STEM Model schools that had  embarked on projects to give learners the opportunity to  solve real-life problems in the schools and to generate income, citing the example of Ulanda Girls’ High School in Migori County  and Buruburu Girls School in Nairobi that  have water bottling projects..

She assured CEMASTEA of her ministry’s continued support in the implementation of its programmes that had earned the institution recognition from local and international partners such as the African Union, Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA) and the United Nations scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)

CEMASTEA Director Mr. Stephen NJoroge disclosed that the institution had distributed equipment worth over Kshs. 104 Million to the 102 STEM schools and another 64 schools used as training centres.

He said programmes at the institution were geared  towards helping the country bridge the existing skills-gap in STEM fields in the country from the current 22% by increasing the percentage of students pursuing STEM related courses.

“At the core of our training programmes is the desire to develop deep mathematical and scientific underpinnings students need to be competitive in the 21st-century workforce,” said Mr Njoroge.

He said the mission of CEMASTEA was to transform teaching by continuously  developing competencies for effective curriculum delivery and improved quality of education.

“To fulfill this mission, our core business is the provision of teacher professional development through face to face training, school based lesson study, field observations and sensitization of stake holders,” said Mr Njoroge.