Below is the full press statement by the Education Ministry’s Cabinet Secretary (Dr. Amina Mohammed) on the status of the implementation of the New Competency Based Curriculum, CBC;

“This morning, the Multi-Sectoral National steering Committee met to review the current status of the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) with a view to provide necessary direction for 2019.

The Committee reviewed the findings of the National External Evaluation, which was commissioned by the Cabinet Secretary following the release of the internal evaluation report concluded in June, 2018. The following key findings emanating from the two studies provided the context of the meeting:

• A majority of the stakeholders are still optimistic about the capacity of the CBC to improve learning and teaching pedagogy in Kenyan schools.
• The policy framework for the CBC framework was not adopted at the start of the pilot and currently remains in draft form.
• There is inadequate alignment between the CBC formulation, teacher capacity development, selection and supply of learning materials and assessment. This has led to inadequate coordination and ad-hoc workshops in place of teacher training compounded by the absence of relevant CBC materials.
• The Curriculum was poorly planned and hastily introduced in schools.
• The process did not carefully consider resource constraints and was not given the necessary strategic interventions at the inception stage.
• The role of the teacher in the curriculum design was marginal, leading to lack of by-in and comprehension of the structure by teachers.
• The procedures for developing a learning programme are deemed complex, decreasing the quality of lesson plans and teacher interventions.
• Assessment tools are unavailable in all the schools that were assessed.

Based on the observed gaps during the National pilot in 2018, the National steering committee has resolved as follows:

• The CBC National Pilot be extended for one more year up-to grade 3 to allow alignment in implementation, particularly, intensive in-service teacher training.
• The National roll-out will take place in January 2020.
• We will finalize and launch the National Curriculum Policy Framework in January 2019.
• We will present the Sessional Paper on Reforming Education and Training Sector in Kenya before Parliament in February 2019, when the Houses resume sessions. Once passed, it will ensure a new instructional paradigm in the Kenyan Education System.
• We will launch the National Education Sector Strategic Plan for the period 2018-2022 in February, 2019.
• A Secretariat will be established within the Ministry to coordinate the priorities, activities, communication and implementation infrastructure to support the CBC.
• Coordination in the next two months must be done by all the stakeholders, together, to ensure consistency and concentration.
• The Directorate of Quality Assurance and Standards be tasked to rigorously track the implementation of the CBC in all the Sub- Counties across the country. Training of Quality Assurance Officers for this purpose will commence in February, 2019.
• The Curriculum focus at the Ministry of Education will be re-organized to secure supervision and evaluation of the CBC in all public, private and special needs institutions across the country.
• We will step-up intensive teacher training programmes across the country. Training of Tutors for Teacher Training Colleges will commence in January, 2019, and will follow a College-based teacher training model.
• A dedicated Fund for teacher training in the 2019/2020 and 2020/2021 financial years will be negotiated, set aside and ring-fenced.
• Link Digital Literacy Programme to the CBC to secure comprehensive training on digital literacy as a key component of the CBC.
• Develop an assessment framework with clearly spelt-out  competencies at every level. KICD (Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development) to provide crisp competencies to guide this process to allow the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) develop and release the Assessment Framework.
• The realities on the ground and aspirations for the CBC must be aligned.”

Amb. (Dr.) Amina Mohammed, EGH, CAV;
Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Education.

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