The Principal Secretary for Basic Education, Dr. Belio Kipsang, confirmed that all Grade 10 students will study science and mathematics, in accordance with the recommendations from the Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms.
Grade 10 signifies the beginning of senior school, where students choose career pathways from three categories: Arts and Sports Science, Social Sciences, and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).
Dr. Kipsang emphasized that every school is required to provide at least two pathways, with STEM being compulsory. He mentioned that laboratories are being set up in all senior schools to support the science pathway. Resources have been gathered to equip 1,600 schools with the essential laboratory infrastructure. He stressed the significance of nationwide consultations to include public feedback on the transition to senior school.
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Speaking in Machakos Town during the start of a nationwide consultation series on competency-based curriculum (CBC) implementation, Dr. Kipsang recognized stakeholders’ concerns regarding teacher readiness. Participants underscored the need for training secondary school teachers before the CBC is adopted in senior school next January.
Representatives from the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) and the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) urged for immediate retraining of teachers before the first CBC cohort progresses to Grade 10. While Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba and the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) expressed optimism in students being prepared for the transition, concerns persist over the CBC implementation, especially at the junior school level.
Education stakeholders cautioned that delays in teacher training could impede Grade 9 students’ selection of career pathways. Acknowledging the urgency, TSC proposed that retraining initiatives should begin by September. KNUT Secretary-General Collins Oyuu recommended learning from the CBC implementation in earlier grades to ensure a smooth transition.
Despite this, KUPPET and other forum participants insisted that the teacher induction into CBC is significantly overdue. National Organizing Secretary Paul Ngei highlighted the necessity of a structured approach, contending that teachers should have already completed retraining. He noted that any uncertainty among teachers needs to be resolved quickly to avoid last-minute rushed training.
Educationist Stephen Mudho suggested that teachers be exposed to CBC before undergoing retraining to ensure they are familiar with the curriculum. Meanwhile, Boaz Waruku from the Elimu Bora Working Group called on the government to upgrade infrastructure, recruit more teachers, and enhance working conditions in preparation for the Grade 10 transition.
Mudho further insisted that teachers require prior knowledge of CBC before attending training sessions to ensure effectiveness. The consultation forums take place two months after Grade 9 was launched, a phase characterized by issues such as insufficient classrooms and a lack of teachers.
Education CS Ogamba assured the public that the government is dedicated to incorporating feedback from the forums to improve the transition process. He acknowledged that before this phase, the public had not been sufficiently informed about the guidelines for transitioning from Grade 9 to Grade 10.
The forums are designed to fill this gap, ensuring nationwide understanding of the requirements and expectations for a smooth progression. He reiterated that the government is ready to implement the career pathways and ensure the successful execution of CBC at the senior school level.
The CS also encouraged schools to be patient while the government completes the distribution of outstanding capitation funds necessary for enabling CBC implementation.