Billions fuel CBC transition, key reforms

Erick Owino of Akoko Secondary, Bondo, Siaya County celebrates his performance in the 2021 KCSE. [Collins Oduor, Standard]

Schools have gotten an unprecedented infusion of funds from the government to power reforms expected to bring equity.

Speaking at the release of the 2021 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education exam results, CS George Magoha lauded the government for outlining reforms.

He cited billions of shillings spent on building infrastructure, providing insurance and meals as well as scholarships.

Some of the reforms include paying examination fees for both KCPE and KCSE candidates in private and public schools. Further, girls’ absenteeism has reduced and their performance improved following the provision of sanitary towels.

Procuring such essential products has cost the taxpayer Sh3.017 billion since 2018 and close to eight million girls stayed in school.

More schools are getting connected to the internet, and even more to electricity. The Sh33.38 billion spent on books since 2018 meant that learners in public primary and secondary schools did not have to share books.

From May 3, Magoha said, the Ministry of Education will begin processing applications by needy students for the 9,000 government scholarships for secondary schools.

Since 2013, the government has spent Sh94.95 billion to keep learners in class in the 22,998 public primary schools. A further Sh3.44 billion has been spent on Special Needs Education (SNE).

Education CS George Magoha. [File, Standard]

Since 2013, said Magoha, the capitation to public secondary school has hit Sh325.67 billion. Some Sh1.52 billion has gone to 34,194 SNE learners in 768 public secondary schools. 

During its tenure, President Uhuru Kenyatta’s government has changed the education curriculum and replaced the 8-4-4 education system with the Competency-Based Curriculum.

CS Magoha said the reforms have incorporated measures that have identified and nurtured learners’ potential.

He added that the curriculum reforms had also emphasised practical learning over theory, application of knowledge and acquisition of competencies over cramming, and with that, provided opportunities for participation in community service learning.

The roll-out of the CBC curriculum is on course and the inaugural class is scheduled to join Grade 6 when schools re-open on Monday. The government is still working to train more teachers to handle the curriculum.

The CS expects that by the time the learners transition to Grade 7 in January next year, 60,000 teachers will have been adequately equipped.

“Construction is ongoing and the first phase of 6,470 classrooms should be completed by the end of this month. Out of the projected 10,000 classrooms, the second phase of the remaining 3,530 classrooms will be completed between May and August 2022.”