Catholic Church supports new curriculum, calls for enhanced school inspection

The Catholic Church has supported the new Competency Based Curriculum but urged the government to address glaring staffing and school infrastructure deficits.

Speaking at St Pius Seminary in Nkubu, Meru County, the chairman of Education and Religious Education Commission in the church, Bishop Paul Kariuki, said those opposing the new academic system should take into regard that it had already taken off.

“We see those critising the CBC as engaging in a lost cause because the train has left the station,” said Bishop Kariuki (pictured) who heads the Embu Diocese.

He was the chief guest during the Meru Diocese Annual Education Day and was accompanied by host Bishop Salesius Mugambi.

Bishop Kariuki said the church supported calls for enhanced training of teachers in service and the reviewing of the teacher training curriculum to adopt requirements of the new education system.

“As a key stakeholder in education, our feeling is that the biggest challenge to the sector and the 100 per cent transition is the glaring shortage of teachers in both primary and secondary schools as well as overstretched school infrastructure,” said the cleric.

He said while secondary schools all over the country were grappling with congestion due to increased student intake, it was also a matter of concern that learners could be missing lessons due to the shortage of teachers.

“The infrastructure in many primary schools is in dire state and the government needs to invest seriously in providing physical infrastructure,” he said.

Kariuki advised the government to enhance school inspections, saying there was evidence that enormous resources was not being utilised for the intended purposes.

He said churches were still in negotiation with the government over the management of sponsored schools using the Education Act as a guide.

“Churches will soon appoint chaplains for their schools and the pastoral programmes will be revived,” said Bishop Kariuki. “We have an agreement on the appointment of Boards of Management (BoM) and sponsors might finally get title deeds for schools where they have substantially invested.”