Nairobi, August 1, 2023- President William Ruto has received the much-anticipated final report from the Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms, a dedicated team he established to fulfill his pre-election promise of overhauling the country’s education sector.
The report contains a comprehensive set of recommendations aimed at transforming the education system and ensuring equitable access to quality education for all Kenyan students.
Among the key recommendations presented in the report, the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) will streamline the learning areas in different educational levels.
Lower Primary will see a reduction from nine to seven learning areas, while Upper Primary will be streamlined from twelve to eight.
Junior School will have nine learning areas, Pre-Primary will have five, and Senior School will have seven.
To enhance the quality of education and support institutions, the report suggests significant adjustments to school capitation.
For instance, Pre-Primary will receive Ksh 1,170, Primary level capitation will be doubled to Ksh 2,238, Junior School will receive Ksh 15,043, and Senior School (Day) will get Ksh 22,527.
Additionally, Special Needs Institutions (SNE) (Day) and SNE (Boarding) will receive Ksh 19,800 and Ksh 38,280, respectively. The capitation and grants will be reviewed every three years to ensure their adequacy.
In light of schools with low enrolment, the report recommends the implementation of a minimum essential package to support such institutions.
The amounts proposed are Ksh 70,200 for Pre-Primary, Ksh 537,120 for Primary level, Ksh 2,030,805 for Junior School, Ksh 3,041,145 for Senior School, and Ksh 1,890,000 for Special Needs Education.
A major structural change envisaged in the report is the adoption of a Comprehensive School system (PP1 — Grade 9). This will merge Pre-Primary, Primary school, and Junior School, managing them as one institution.
As part of this change, the term “Secondary” will be dropped from Junior Secondary and Senior Secondary School.
To ensure the accessibility of education for all, the report suggests the coordination of bursaries and scholarships under the Kenya Basic Education Bursaries and Scholarship Council.
A key highlight is the introduction of mandatory community service programs for students at various educational levels.
Senior School graduates will have to complete a three-month community service program before joining Tertiary institutions. Upon completing Tertiary education, nine months of mandatory community service will be required, and a certificate of compliance will be issued as proof before entering the workforce.
The current categorization of public Secondary schools (National, Extra-county, County, Sub-county) will be discontinued.
Instead, the report proposes a categorization based on career pathways for Senior Schools, aiming to align students with their desired fields of study and career opportunities.
To improve the quality of teachers, the report suggests implementing a one-year mandatory retooling program for pre-service training graduates to become Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC)-compliant. Additionally, these graduates will undergo a one-year internship before registration as teachers.
The report also addresses higher education, proposing a sustainable financing model for Universities that includes grants/scholarships, loans, and household contributions.
This model aims to ensure equitable access and inclusion for different categories of students based on their vulnerability and needs.
Furthermore, the report advocates for the enactment of the proposed Tertiary Education Placement and Funding Bill.
This legislation will consolidate higher education funding by amalgamating the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB), University Fund Board (UFB), and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Fund.
To bridge the gap between Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions and industries, the report suggests institutionalizing linkages with businesses and government projects.
Additionally, pathways will be developed to enable smooth transitions between TVET and Universities and vice versa.
For marginalized groups, learners with special needs, and adults seeking education, the report calls for the development of guidelines for accelerated education programs to enhance equitable access to education.
In a bid to enhance efficiency and self-reliance, the report recommends developing the internal capacity of the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) to print national assessments.
President Ruto has directed that the report’s recommendations be implemented in full and within the given timeframe, signaling a determined effort to bring about transformative changes to Kenya’s education sector.
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