The Ministry of Education has issued a strong response to a statement from the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops, who expressed concerns over the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) and the university loan scheme.
In a detailed response, the Ministry addressed these concerns, asserting that the CBC remains robust and effective.
Competency-Based Curriculum Rollout
The CBC, which began its rollout in 2017, is designed to cultivate learners' potential, instil national values, and integrate skills in science, technology, and innovation.
According to education CS Julius Ogamba, this approach aims to align students' skills with industry needs, creating a more empowered and ethical workforce.
He emphasised that CBC has undergone extensive stakeholder consultation and public participation, with input from the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops as well as other groups through the Presidential Working Party on Education Reform.
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In response to feedback, the Ministry has streamlined CBC's learning areas and placed Junior School within primary schools, a move endorsed by over 93% of submissions to the Working Party.
Infrastructure and resources for junior schools
According to the CS, CBC implementation has been systematically supported with both resources and infrastructure.
For Grade 9, which marks the final year of Junior School, the Government began textbook distribution on 23rd October 2024, after ensuring core textbooks for Grades 7 and 8 were available at a one-to-one ratio.
The Ministry also reported that the construction of 16,000 classrooms required for Grade 9 is at an advanced stage, backed by a Sh17.6 billion allocation.
The statement also said that teacher recruitment has been a priority as well. The Government has employed 56,950 teachers, with plans to hire 46,000 intern teachers on a permanent basis by January 2025.
An additional 20,000 teachers are also being recruited. This significant investment, according to the Ministry, can hardly be described as crumbling.
The Higher Education student-centred funding model
The Ministry further addressed the Catholic Bishops’ concerns regarding the student loan scheme by explaining the recently introduced Student-Centred Funding Model.
Launched in 2023, this model the ministry says aims to reduce the financial strain on universities, which faced debts of Sh70 billion, leading some to near insolvency.
The Government has since disbursed over Sh41 billion in loans and scholarships to support students, tailoring funds to each student's needs.
The Ministry urged religious leaders to avoid condemning an education system that serves over 11 million learners, stating that CBC’s implementation is both stable and transformative.