Private schools welcome training for 2-6-3-3 system
What you need to know:
Kenya Private Schools Association Chief Executive Officer Peter Ndoro said private schools have a critical role to play in the ongoing education reforms.
He said as members of the National Steering Committee on Curriculum Reforms, they supported the new competence- based curriculum that focuses on what a learner can perform as opposed to just what one can remember.
Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development senior deputy director Jacqueline Onyango allayed fears that schools will rely on their own assessment criteria.
Private schools have welcomed plans by the Education ministry to train more than 170,000 teachers ahead of the rollout of the new curriculum in January.
Kenya Private Schools Association Chief Executive Officer Peter Ndoro said private schools have a critical role to play in the ongoing education reforms.
“Incorporating private schools in the training underscores government’s commitment to the public-private partnership,” said Mr Ndoro.
He said as members of the National Steering Committee on Curriculum Reforms, they supported the new competence- based curriculum that focuses on what a learner can perform as opposed to just what one can remember.
“We are ready for the rollout of the new curriculum. We know what needs to be done,” said the CEO. He spoke during a forum on the new system in Eldoret at the weekend.
ALLAYED FEARS
Some participants appealed to the ministry to consider allowing learners to have mobile phones in school to facilitate the digital literacy programme.
They said computers are still few in schools and learners can be encouraged to responsibly utilise the phones for learning, given that most of them use them at home.
Mr Ndoro said teachers who were initially sceptical of the assessment method set to replace national examinations are now conversant with the new grading method.
Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development senior deputy director Jacqueline Onyango allayed fears that schools will rely on their own assessment criteria.
“It will not just be about marks or percentages. We will have parameters and assessment rubrics that indicate a learner’s level of competence against set standards,” said Mrs Onyango.
She said the institute has been working with the Kenya National Examinations Council in developing the new assessment framework.
