Kuppet calls on state to involve them in CBC review exercise

Teachers yesterday asked the government to include them in the planned Competence Based Curriculum (CBC) taskforce announced by President William Ruto.

The Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) said they will be key in giving their input on the challenges facing CBC implementation.

Kuppet secretary-general Akelo Misori said the union has also written to the Ministry of Education demanding the inclusion of teachers’ unions in the taskforce.

They want the three teachers unions, namely Kuppet, Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) and the Kenya Union of Special Needs Teachers (Kusnet), be part of the team.

“Kuppet welcomes President Ruto’s decision to create a taskforce to review, assess or guide the implementation of CBC. Towards that end, the union has written to the Ministry of Education demanding the inclusion of teachers’ unions in the body,” said Mr Misori.

Key among the issues that teachers want to be addressed by the committee are teacher preparedness, the double-intake in secondary schools in 2023, and parental engagement in the curriculum.

Mr Misori said the taskforce will provide a platform for the airing of public views on CBC as provided in Article 10 of the constitution, which requires public participation on all key decisions.

“To succeed, every education system must get the goodwill of all stakeholders including the government, teachers, learners and all sectors of society,” he said.

Kuppet noted that the implementation of CBC systems, which have been widely adopted in Africa, have faced peculiar challenges that must be addressed for the proper functioning of the curriculum.

On Tuesday, Dr Ruto announced that he will appoint a committee in the coming weeks to review the CBC.

The president also promised to resolve the issue of double transition of Grade six learners and Standard Eight pupils to secondary schools.

West Pokot Knut secretary Martin Sembelo said the former government forced the CBC implementation yet teachers had not been trained properly.

“The greatest impediment is that teachers are not properly trained. There is no need for teachers to sit in class yet they don’t know anything. CBC is not there. It is only drama in class. Some things are not practical. CBC has a problem, it was rushed,” he said

He explained that the new system is facing implementation challenges.

“We need collective participation of all education stakeholders. Education is a crucial ministry where you cannot mess with our children. This is the right time for its review,” he said.

Mr Sembelo noted that Knut is ready to join the taskforce next week and unearth everything.

“We need a task force of professionals and educationists. We need experts to come out with a clear roadmap. Even if CBC will remain, everyone should be brought on board. In other countries, CBC attracts a lot of resources but Kenya is an African country,” he said.

He said that the curriculum is in disarray for lack of resources, infrastructure, learning materials, and shortage of teachers.

“We have a shortage of 3,000 teachers in the county ,” he said on Thursday in Kapenguria.

Mr Sembelo claimed that the CBC has a lot of issues and road blocks.

He noted that the new system requires a good foundation and enough resources.

“It needs a lot of human resources and massive investment. We should prepare well enough because the system requires many practical skills,” he said.

Mr Sembelo said the de-localisation policy has impacted negatively on the performance of learners in every county and has jeopardised learning in schools.

“Policies introduced by TSC are harmful. Teachers are doing a lot of work instead of teaching in class. Delocalisation is the worst thing we have ever experienced. It has created disharmony in families, some couples separated and died mysteriously. A man cannot teach in Eldoret while his wife is in Mombasa. Issues of infidelity will crop up. We want an education system where teachers are comfortable and produce good results. Let teachers teach in their home counties,” he said.