Education Cabinet Secretary (CS), Prof. George Magoha, has said that the construction of Competence Based Curriculum (CBC) classes countrywide will be complete by Friday next week, as the new government takes over.
Prof. Magoha said approximately 40 counties had completed the construction, saying currently the completion rate stood at 98 per cent nationally.
Speaking in Iten, Saturday, the CS said the completion rate in Elgeyo Marakwet stood at 86 per cent and called on the contractors to hasten the completion so that they can be paid with others.
He expressed concern that despite government spending 25 per cent of the national budget on education, it does not get value for its money.
Prof. Magoha cited the construction of classrooms, saying according to government, one classroom costs between Sh1.2 million to Sh1.5 million, yet the Ministry has managed to deliver CBC classrooms at a cost of Sh788, 000 per class.
He added that it was sad that many children from poor backgrounds still miss out on education due to lack of money because those who are supposed to identify them so that they can get scholarships end up taking their own siblings instead.
The CS went on to say that bureaucracy in government was a major hindrance in the implementation of projects, saying it leads to a lot of delays and called on the new government to look into the issue.
Prof. Magoha said the incoming government will decide what direction the CBC system will take, likening it to a baby who is already walking and therefore can only be assisted to grow.
Noting that one of the major challenges principals were facing in schools was indiscipline due to lack of parental guidance.
The CS said the system would help in addressing this as the parent has to interact with his/her child every day as they do homework.
“The CBC ensures that the child is sent to the parent every day, thus making sure that the parent is involved in his/her child’s everyday life,” he said.
By Alice Wanjiru
