The government will abolish the National County School System next year as part of a major overhaul proposed by the education reform team.
The team is advocating for a shift from the current categorization of schools to a new method that emphasises career pathways.
The proposed system will group schools based on career pathways such as science, technology, engineering, mathematics, social science, arts, and sports.
This means that the existing classification of national schools, extra county schools, county schools, and sub-county schools will be phased out if the recommendations are approved.
Upon acceptance of these plans, the Ministry of Education will be tasked with conducting an audit within the next six months with the aim of establishing the number and distribution of public schools across the country.
Furthermore, the Ministry will be required to establish standards for classifying schools according to vocational paths within the same timeframe.
This initiative is designed to ensure that every area has access to all of the options.
Speaking to KNA on the recommendations, Roselyn Litaba, the Assistant Education Director of Kiambu sub-county, expressed her support for the proposed changes.
“Categorising schools based on career paths is a good idea. Once we get guidelines, we will do what we are required to do.
“For instance, if a school has sufficient science facilities, it would be a good idea to designate it as a science school.”
However, Mary Kamau, a primary school teacher, raised some concerns when it came to resource availability.
She suggested that the Ministry of Education should consider the resources available to each facility before grouping schools into career paths.
Kamau pointed out that many schools currently face challenges due to a lack of resources.
Presidential Working Party on Education Reform issued a report advising the ministry of education to stop utilising the current system of classifying schools.
By Cecilia Njoki
