- Senators have raised concerns that with less than two years to transition, not much seems to have happened in terms of preparation.
- The pioneer class will move to Grade 7 – junior secondary school – in January 2023 and complete the level in Grade 9.
Image: MARTIN FUNDI
The Senate is concerned that the Ministry of Education may not be adequately prepared for junior secondary school under the Competency-Based Curriculum.
With the pioneer CBC class transitioning to junior secondary in 2023, the Senate wants the ministry to disclose its plans for a smooth transition.
The Senate Education Committee has summoned CS George Magoha to explain the plans to ensure the transition is not interrupted.
The pioneer class will move to Grade 7 – junior secondary school – in January 2023 and complete the level in Grade 9.
They will transition to senior secondary – Grades 10 to 12 – to complete the secondary school education.
Senators have raised concerns that with less than two years to transition, not much seems to have happened in terms of preparation to ensure a smooth transition.
They said the public is in the dark with several underlying issues yet to be clarified by the ministry.
“The public is in the dark about junior secondary. Parents and teachers don’t know whether the junior secondary is being implemented at primary school level or is it going to be in some secondary school,” nominated Senator Petronilla Were posed.
She added, “It is basically the current class seven and eight that will be affected. Primary schools already have that infrastructure. Secondary schools don’t. How are they going to make use of the primary school infrastructure?”
The lawmaker wanted to know the fate of the pupils who won’t make it to junior secondary school and the criteria that will be used to place the pupils in schools.
Magoha will explain the extent to which teachers who are to teach in junior secondary have been trained to handle the CBC.
“The CS should provide statistics on the teachers who have undergone training on CBC and their distribution countrywide,” the nominated senator said.
Magoha will expound on whether adequate infrastructure has been put in place for the intake of pupils in junior high schools across the country in the coming two years.
He will also outline the role, if any, that will be played by the current primary schools in the rollout of CBC in junior secondary schools.
“The CS should also spell out the criteria of selection of schools, which will qualify as junior secondary schools,” a statement by the senator reads in part.
Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei said the ministry should come out clearly on its plans for a smooth transition.
“We need to know about the infrastructure. Are they going to select some primary schools and use their classes for junior secondary learners? What will be the criteria for selecting the schools?” Cherargei said.
The lawmakers asked how the ministry will post students to schools given that ranking has been abolished.
“How will they know this pupil is supposed to go to Alliance High School and the other one to Kapsabet? These are the questions that need to be answered early enough,” the senator said.