Heads of primary schools want better CBC infrastructure

Kenya Primary Schools head Teachers Association National Vice Chairman, Johnson Nzioka, addresses the press on August 10, 2023, at KICD in Nairobi. [Edward Kiplimo, Standard]

In Mombasa, more than 10,000 primary school heads have convened for their annual conference.

The teachers are meeting to redefine and drive positive change within the education sector, marking a transition away from the 8-4-4 education system.

Johnson Nzioka, the chairman of the Kenya Primary Schools Head Teachers Association (Kepsha), expressed the teachers' contentment with the current educational framework for the country. With the 8-4-4 system having been phased out from their schools, culminating in the last class completing their Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) exam last week, the focus now shifts towards the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).

Addressing the press at the Sheikh Zayed Children's Welfare Hall in Mombasa county, where the school heads will convene for a week of deliberations, Nzioka said: "We are pleased that, at long last, the 8-4-4 system is no more, and the CBC system has been fully integrated into our schools."

He also noted that the challenge of managing two education systems has come to an end.

Nzioka commended President William Ruto for addressing the teacher shortage issue in public schools. He further called upon the government to tackle infrastructure challenges experienced in junior secondary schools, where certain institutions lack laboratory activities.

"As members of Kepsha, we would like to express our gratitude to President Ruto for increasing teacher recruitment during his tenure. We hope he will also address other issues that teachers face within the education sector," he said.

Nzioka, accompanied by several Kepsha officials, said CBC has made substantial progress, with teachers eagerly preparing for the introduction of Grade 8 in Junior Secondary Schools next year.

"We are fully prepared for Grade 8 next year, as they will replace Standard 8, who recently completed their KCPE examination, paving the way for the full implementation of CBC," the Kepsha chairperson said.

The theme of this year's conference is "rethinking education management within a comprehensive school framework, inspiring innovation for sustainable impact in the present and future decade."

Nzioka elaborated that head teachers would engage with various topics aimed at seeking solutions to reshape education.

Given the ongoing changes in the education system, teachers will be exposed to best practices in assessing learners, enhancing performance, and ensuring accountability within their classrooms.

Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machugu is expected to address the teachers tomorrow.