CBC training was successful, says Prof.Magoha

Education Cabinet Secretary (CS) Prof. George Magoha has said phase one of the competence based curriculum launched by the government four days ago, was largely successful despite some few hiccups.
Speaking in Kisumu after visiting Lake Primary school to assess progress of the exercise, Prof. Magoha disclosed that the ministry will use ICT resources to train the remaining teachers from August to ensure all the tutors are equipped with requisite skills to implement the new curriculum.
The CS said the curriculum was the best for the country and asked the teachers union to suggest areas that they would want improved instead of frustrating its implementation.
“I have been to several schools at the coast, Nairobi, Western and Nyanza and teachers have embraced the trainings. They are enthusiastic about the idea and this is the way to go,’’ he said, adding that it was wrong for KNUT leadership to oppose implementation of the curriculum which they had initially vouched for.
Prof. Magoha however admitted that the ministry may not be perfect on how it had handled the program but the government was willing to listen to views of every education stakeholder on how to further improve the same.
The CS also disclosed that the process to anchor the program in law was at advanced stage and the ministry hopes to a have a seasonal paper enacted by parliament in June.
Magoha said the draft sessional paper was already before parliament and will be tabled for debate and adoption in line with the calendar of the national assembly.
Parliament has its own calendar which we in the ministry cannot control but we are hopeful that by June we shall have the sessional paper in place, he added
At the same time, he dismissed reports in a section of the local dailies that claimed KNEC would administer national exams beginning from grade 3 and the new curriculum.
The CS said the statements were incorrect clarifying that the essence of the new curriculum was continuous assessment.
The assessment, he said will be done within the respective schools.
By Chris Mahandara