George Magoha dismisses new curriculum critics

Teachers follow proceedings at Uhuru Gardens Primary School in Nairobi on April 23, 2019 during the launching of training on new curriculum by the Education ministry. PHOTO | OUMA WANZALA | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha says curriculum design and learning materials for Grade 4 to be read by September.
  • Prof Magoha says the training is not illegal as termed by teachers union leaders.
  • TSC boss Nancy Macharia says 91,320 teachers to receive training across the country for four days.

A four-day training of 91,320 teachers for the implementation of the new curriculum kicked off across the country Tuesday amid violence, arrest of union officials and boycotts in some areas, with Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha insisting that there is no turning back.

A good number of teachers defied the call by Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) Secretary-General Wilson Sossion to boycott the exercise while others heeded his call in areas such as Kakamega, Bungoma, Nakuru and Makueni, among others.

Prof Magoha said the training will go on and termed the rollout of the competency based curriculum (CBC) in the First Term successful to an extent that ashamed a few prophets of doom who thought that the activity was set for failure.

TRAINING

He said the Education ministry will do everything within its means to ensure that the CBC succeeds.

“We will not turn back; neither shall we slow down an inch in our determination to ensure the CBC succeeds 100 per cent,” said Prof Magoha while addressing teachers at Uhuru Gardens Primary School in Nairobi.

He was accompanied by Basic Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang and Teachers Service Commission (TSC) chief executive Nancy Macharia

Mrs Macharia said effective delivery of the curriculum requires continuous teacher development in order to match the pressure to provide quality education in knowledge-based societies and economies.

However, Mr Sossion insisted that teachers are being forced to participate in the exercise, adding that the launch had been politicised.

“We need a national conference to validate and evaluate these reforms. Furthermore, the training of teachers on the new curriculum should start in colleges and not a four day event,” insisted Mr Sossion who spoke separately to the Nation.

He said that Parliament is yet to approved the sessional paper on curriculum reforms.

In Kibwezi, police arrested Knut executive secretary Gabriel Kisilu and branch treasurer Miriam Mwania for allegedly leading disruption of the training at Isunguluni Primary School.

"They were locked up at Kibwezi Police Station awaiting to be charged today. We are looking for others," Kibwezi Sub-County Police Commander Ben Changulo said.

The training failed to take place in some of the 44 centres across the county. Following the arrests, the National Police Service instructed its officers to crack down on those disrupting the training.

“We will not allow anyone to unlawfully sabotage legitimate government activities and those culpable will be apprehended and dealt with according to the law,” said Inspector-General of police Hillary Mutyambai in a statement. In Bungoma, the training was disrupted after Knut officials chased away trainers at Lugulu Girls High School, Webuye ACK Primary School, Milo Boys High School and Bokoli primary.

In Makueni, the exercise failed to take place as union officials ejected teachers from training venues.

Mr Tom Ingolo, the Knut Kakamega branch executive secretary, was arrested for leading his colleagues in disrupting the training. Mr Ingolo led union officials to disrupt training at various centres including Kakamega Primary School, arguing that no proper plans had been made for the meetings.

He was arrested at Shikoti Primary School. In Kitui, some of the teachers who had turned up for the training were barred from accessing the Mulango Girls High School venue without any explanation. Police officers were called in to disperse them.

Trouble started when one of the organisers ordered gates to the venue closed by 7am, locking out dozens of teachers.

In Kisii, teachers faced challenges including lack of writing materials and textbooks. A spot check by the Nation at Jogoo Primary School found that teachers who turned up for the training lacked writing materials.

No lunch

Most teachers opted to go to their homes for lunch as organisers did not provide meals. In Kisumu, Homa Bay and Vihiga counties teachers ignored calls by their union to snub the training and went ahead to attend.

In Homa Bay, a spot check by the Nation at one of the training centres revealed that all schools in the area were represented in the training.

Homa Bay County Education Director Fredrick Kiiru said the county has 42 training centres. The exercise also went on smoothly at Lieta Kabunde and Wiobieno primary schools. In Vihiga County the training was uninterrupted despite a boycott call by Knut. In Nakuru, the exercise began on a low note as a few teachers turned up for the training.

A spot check at various training centres revealed that some of the teachers had given the training a wide berth. At St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, a training centre in Nakuru East sub-county, only a few teachers attended the training as most seats remained vacant.

“Working with the TSC, I am assuring the country that we will by September 2019 have a clear master plan for rolling out the CBC in Class Four next year,” said Prof Magoha.

Mrs Macharia thanked the teachers for attending the event. She said the training was part of the many programmes that the TSC plans to mount in its determination to ensure that all teachers are adequately prepared to successfully steer the implementation of the curriculum.

Reporting by Ouma Wanzala, Joseph Openda, Steve Njuguna, Pius Maundu, Dennis Lubanga, Alex Njeru, Flora Koech, Titus Ominde, Tom Matoke, Victor Raballa, Benson Ayienga and Irene Mugo