KENYA: Government announce major reforms to curb school unrest
Rt. Rev. Philip Anyolo (L) KCCB Chairman, Mr. Fred Mating'i Kenyan Education Cabinate Secretary, Rt. Rev. Maurice Muhatia, KCCB Chairman for Education Commission & Religious Studies
By Rose Achiego, Waumini Communications KCCB
The Government of Kenya through the Ministry of Education has promised to embark on major reforms to address the rising issues of school unrest and exam cheating that saw cancellation of KCSE results of more than 5,000 candidates in 2015.
Mr. Fred Mating’i Kenyan Education Cabinet Secretary,
Rt. Rev. Maurice Muhatia, KCCB Chairman for
Education Commission & Religious Studies
Responding to the Catholic Bishops and school principals’ concern during the conference for Principals of Catholic Sponsored Schools at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA) the Education Secretary Fred Matiang’i said the government is working with faith based organizations to train the school principals to counter radicalization in schools.
“We are also working on a new scheme of service that would enable the government to post chaplains from mainstream churches in secondary schools from the next financial year,” Matiang’i said.
Matiang’i said that the ministry has made a huge progress on education reforms program that will enhance a shift from knowledge based to values and skills competence based curriculum to give academic and talent pathway. “The draft will be presented to the public in September. We will pilot the new curriculum in 2017 for one year, draw lessons from it and begin implementation process thereafter,” he said
He added that the ministry is engaging Teachers Service Commission in a policy that would enable the transfer of school bursars and employment of qualified non-teaching staff to bring about the sense of professionalism in the secondary schools.
To curb exam cheating, Matiang’i said the government is re-organizing the exam marking centres to ensure honest and justice to all candidates. He called on the Catholic school heads to collaborate with teachers and key players in education in ensuring credible exams.
Among those present during the conference were the Chairman of the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) Rt. Rev. Philip Anyolo, Chairman of the KCCB- Commission for Education and Religious Education Rt. Rev. Maurice Muhatia Makumba, CUEA vice Chancellor Professor Justus Mbai and Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang.
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