This year is critical for education stakeholders. It is packed with major events, some of which are effects of the disrupted school calendar and transition challenges.
The Standard highlights some of the critical events and players charged with regaining lost academic time and upcoming reforms.
Ministry of Education:
Opening of schools and colleges for all learners and ensuring smooth running of the institutions while maintaining the health protocols in relation to Covid-19.
Funding of basic and higher education institutions. Timely release of schools’ capitation and universities and colleges funding to plug deficits.
Expansion of school and colleges infrastructure in readiness for transition and to decongest classes. Making plans for smooth transition to Junior Secondary schools.
Mopping up learners to join schools under the 100 per cent transition. After the March national examinations, the government will be required to ensure proper transition into the next year.
Also tracing pregnant girls and those who have given birth to return to schools, rescuing those in forced marriages and boys absorbed in menial jobs.
Pushing for curriculum recovery out of the lost time as learners torched dormitories and disrupted lessons.
Ensuring five national examinations are delivered: two KCPE and KCSE examinations and one for Grade Six learners.
Parents and learners:
Parents to ensure their children return to schools and maintain discipline by avoiding last term chaos.
Parents expected to clear fees due at the beginning of the term. Worry about safety of children as uncertainty hangs over fears of indiscipline spill over from last term.
Candidates examinations preparations for March. Condensed extra curriculum calendar.
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Transfers nightmare for errant learners pushed out of schools after participating in arson.
Teachers:
Expected to be innovative, guide learners, counsel those traumatised by last term’s arson cases and also ensure curriculum coverage.
Teachers Service Commission (TSC):
Getting teachers to cover the curriculum.
Teachers will still bear the weight of Covid-19 effects and will require full support from the government through the TSC.
Recruitment of more teachers to match demands and also make plans for transition to Junior Secondary schools.
Steadying the teaching sector by managing relationship with unions after non-monetary CBA.
Revisit CBA talks with unions and managing promotions.
Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD):
The implementation of CBC at Grade 6 starts in April.
Distribution of Grade 6 books and set books to start next week.
Evaluation of Grade 7 books starts in March.
Validation and approving Grade 7, 8 and 9 curriculum designs.
Inducting of secondary school teachers in collaboration with TSC.
Monitoring and evaluation of Grade 5 uptake.
Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC):
Administration, marking and release of KCPE and KCSE examinations under special term dates.
Administration of end of primary education examinations at Grade Six, under the CBC.
Managing attempts to mess up the examinations by cartels through irregularities.
Managing and coordinating school based assessments; Whether the examinations will be moderated and made fair to all candidates and whether the tests will factor in the major curriculum disruptions in the academic calendar will be in focus.
Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET):
Employment of 3,000 TVET trainers.
Roll out of CBET across all TVET institutions.
Expansion of infrastructure to admit two KCSE candidates.
Rebranding of TVET to gain more acceptability from candidates and parents.
Accreditation of institutions and trainers.
Embedding recognition of prior knowledge within TVET will also be a major focus.
Enhancing of TVET institutions, as production units and expansion of training with the private sector within TVET will also be key.
Universities:
Funding of universities, most of which are reeling in debts, will also dominate this year.
Public universities are sinking in the upwards of Sh40 billion debts that have hampered their smooth operations and quest to offer quality education.
The universities also need about Sh52.8 billion to complete all ongoing projects, including stalled ones.
Universities will continue to push for fees review from Sh16,000 to Sh48,000 to plug their financial deficits.
The emotive discussion has already prompted protests from students who have vowed to oppose the move.
The KUCCPS placement of students to private universities will also be an area of focus as public universities still want the billions used to fund students in their institutions.
This as Universities Act is explicit that KUCCPS places learners to both public and private universities.
Expanding infrastructure for anticipated transition.
Unions: Knut/Kuppet
Recruitment and promotions of more teachers will be a focus this year for unions.
Renegotiating 2021-2025 CBA to have a salary hike component included.
Address Teacher Development Training (TPD) costs, age of participants and duration of trainings.
Deployment of teachers to (Junior Secondary Schools) Grades 7, 8 and 9.
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