President William Ruto has mandated a 49-member task force to review the Competency-Based Curriculum from the primary level to institutions of higher learning.
In a Gazette notice released on Friday, September 30, Ruto directed the Working Party on Education Reforms to evaluate CBC and present recommendations to restrict the country's learning system.
The Raphael Munavu-led Working Party will assess the system to align with the country's policies for six months and then brief the President on the progress every two months thereafter.
Primary and Secondary Education
At the primary level, Ruto tasked the working party reform to undertake a summative evaluation to assess and recommend an appropriate structure to implement CBC. They will also study all laws governing the basic education subsector and make recommendations for review to address duplication, ambiguities, efficiency constraints and improving linkages.
Other responsibilities include assessing the CBC examination framework and looking into teachers' education and training frameworks for both preservice and in-service. This will inform the formulation of a new deployment structure.
Munavu was also authorised to lead the task force to review and recommend an appropriate financing framework, including capitation and minimum essential package grants for all levels of basic education.
To ensure 100 per cent transition, the working party of education reform is also expected to review and recommend a tracking system to capture and enrol children of school age to ensure universal access to pre-primary, primary and secondary education.
University Education
Ruto further charged the 49-member task force to evaluate university education in the country. Key assignment areas include governance, training and deployment of lecturers and students.
"To study all laws governing the tertiary education subsector and make recommendations for review of these legislations to streamline effectiveness and efficiency in the subsector," the Gazette Notice read in part.
"It will also recommend a framework of operationalizing the National Open University of Kenya and a framework on Open, Distance and E-line learning (ODEL)," the notice further added.
In the latest round of reforms, Ruto expressed the need to reform the Higher Educations Loans Board (HELB). Justifying the need to restructure the funding system, the head of state insisted it was essential for harmonising the capitation regime.
"To review and recommend legislation to facilitate the amalgamation of HELB, TVET and University Funding Boards with a view of harmonizing and merging all tertiary education funding entities," the head of state stated.
To help him fulfil his academic agenda, Ruto appointed key individuals to help Munavu. They include Kenyatta University Vice Chancellor Paul Wainaina, his University of Nairobi counterpart Gitahi Kiama and an award-winning teacher Peter Tabichi among others.
The recommendations would be key in shouldering parents from the high cost of education in the country.
