Poor internet connectivity, insecurity and lack of teachers are the main challenges facing the implementation of CBC in Garissa and the larger North Eastern region.
Speaker after speaker who presented views during a public hearing at NEP Girls High school in Garissa town Tuesday, said that unlike other regions, Garissa and North Eastern in general have peculiar challenges that needed to be addressed if CBC was to succeed.
The KNUT Executive Secretary for Garissa county Abdirizack Hussein said that internet plays an integral role in ensuring that CBC succeeds, but was quick to note that North Eastern was way back behind in terms of connectivity.
Hussein said that even though teachers have been equipped with the necessary gadgets, lack of internet has ‘rendered the equipment useless.’
“Even where there is internet, it is not reliable something that forces teachers to leave their schools and travel for long distances in search of the same,” he said.
The KNUT Secretary said, “Every aspect of CBC has an internet component. Teachers have to download and upload exams and results. It may take even days for a teacher in North Eastern to administer such an exam.”
He said that teacher shortage in the region was so acute, citing cases in some schools, where one teacher is managing a school of 400 pupils.
“To the best of my understanding, CBC requires that we have as many teachers as possible to ensure effective implementation,” noted Hussein.
Former NEP Girls’ High school principal Jawahir Mohamed said CBC was a very expensive curriculum for parents and the high poverty levels in North Eastern further make life for parents a nightmare.
Jawahir cited the current drought ravaging the region that has rendered several households destitute as a major impediment to the education sector.
“Majority of families in the area are struggling to feed their people. Telling them to provide learning tools or materials for the children burdens them even further,” she said.
On security, speakers called on the government to secure the region so that teachers from other localities can be posted and work comfortably in North Eastern.
Addressing the press on the sidelines of the meeting, the taskforce team leader Dr. Wilson Kogo said that challenges facing CBC in the entire North Eastern region were the same and cross cutting citing ICT, infrastructure, lack of teachers and as the main drawbacks.
Dr. Kogo while thanking education stakeholders, leadership and parents for coming out to present their views said his team was impressed by the turn out and issues presented were touching.
He said that the issue of school feeding programme also featured prominently, where those who spoke called on the government and the Ministry of Education to step up the feeding program to help retain pupils and students in schools.
The Dr. Kogo-led team has so far visited Mandera and Wajir counties. The 49-member task under the chairmanship of Prof. Raphael Munavu was constituted to seek views from the public and recommend appropriate structure to fast-track CBC implementation. Further, they are expected to come up with a framework on how CBC will be examined among other issues.
By Jacob Songok
