Education Cabinet Secretary, Prof Magoha, launches the National Curriculum Policy for Education (Full speech)

Here is the full speech by Education Cabinet Secretary Prof George Magoha during the launch of the National Curriculum Policy for Education. The CS insisted that the roll out of the new Competency Based Curriculum is unstoppable;

“It gives me great pleasure to preside over this launch of the First National Curriculum Policy for Basic Education whose development has been made possible through collaboration between the Ministry of Education and various agencies.

I take this opportunity to express my heartfelt gratitude to all those who
have supported this important process.
The Curriculum Policy is one of the fundamental documents that will anchor the Competency-Based Cuiculum (CBC). Its launch today, therefore, is the clearest indication yet that the Government is not going back on the process of implementing the CBC. The rollout will continue in a most well organised, systematic, and highly professional manner to ensure our children get quality education for a better future.

I wish to also announce that we have held a robust engagement with stakeholders, including Members of Parliament, over the Sessional Paper No. 1 of 2019, which the
Ministry submitted to the august House last year. I am proud to announce that the final and revised document is before the House and we hope legislators will be giving it their most urgent consideration. Once passed, the Sessional Paper will further enhance the legal and policy frameworks upon which the CBC will be anchored.

Since my appointment as the Cabinet Secretary for Education, I have made the implementation of the CBC my top most priority. During my first month in office, my Team and I, have accomplished the following:

1). Held at least 20 meetings with critical stakeholders to enhance the levels of engagement on the CBC with a view to reaching acceptable consensus on the curriculum. Some of these stakeholders include representatives of the Clergy, National Parents Association, KUPPET, Civil Society, Development Partners, universities, professional teacher associations and trade unions. I promise to not take my leg off the pedal over these consultations. In any case, I will step up consultations over the next days and months.

ii). The Ministry has distributed more than 12 million CBC textbooks to schools this month. I will personally lead the supervision process on the use and availability of these books in our schools once the distribution process ends on May 30, 2019.

iii). Together with the TSC, the Government has trained more than 91,000 teachers over the CBC. Field reports indicate that these teachers are now more confident and efficient in the CBC delivery.

(iv) The Ministry this month trained 1,400 education officers on the management and supervision of CBC in schools, including the methods that will be used in Competency-Based Assessment. We expect that these officers will now do a more commendable job of ensuring that the overall delivery of CBC is up to the standards expected

v). I have made changes of the top management team of the Ministry at the level of directors with an aim of injecting freshness and matching various competencies in a manner that will improve delivery of education services in general, and CBC in particular.

vi). The Ministry has stepped up its communication and messaging process of CBC activities with an aim of consistently keeping the public aware of the direction that the curriculum implementation process is taking

Over the next few days and months, I wish to assure the public that we will do everything possible to ensure we do not drop the ball in CBC implementation. No amount of opposition, real or imagined, will make us back-pedal on implementing the curriculum, which the Government is convinced will mean well for our future generations. As a results, I commit that:

(1). The Ministry will launch countrywide County Dialogues to enhance stakeholder engagements to increase sensitisation on the CBC.
These dialogues, which I call the “National Conversation on the CBC we Want” will involve relevant education agencies (KNEC, KICD, MoE, etc), and will also encompass all Ministries and Departments and Agencies. The Ministry will provide further communication on this national conversation.
(2). The National Conversation will culminate in a National Education Conference to be held in August. The conference will enable the sharing of all the county-specific issues raised from counties, collate relevant.

Monitoring reports and ensure the country discusses critical lessons learnt on the CBC.
3). The National Conference will form the basis of a Roadmap for CBC Rollout in Grade Four in 2020.
4). The TSC and Ministry will train further teachers on CBC in August and
December.
(5) The Ministry will continue with sector-specific consultations as will be
necessary from time to time. We will never shut the door on any constructive discussions, however critical they will be.
(6) The Ministry is also in the process of developing an instructional materials
policy (IM) to support the curriculum.

Ladies and Gentlemen;
I now turn to the policy we are launching today. The nexus between the education system and curriculum is considered important for transforming people’s education, training and work.

Fundamental instruments for such education include flexible education pathways, modern and dynamic curriculum, basic foundational and transversal skills and new pedagogical approaches that utilize ICT.
A robust learning infrastructure that takes cognisance of gender and special needs complements lifelong tangible careers and sustainable futures.

This policy provides a clear framework that enhances access to education, provides relevant pathways for transition of all learners and contributes to strengthened governance of the education sector at various levels.

Ladies and Gentlemen;
This policy anchors the curriculum within the national legislation informed by Article 53 of the Constitution which recognises free and compulsory basic education as a right of every child.

The policy document outlines the Ministry’s commitment to provide equitable and inclusive quality education for all by 2030. It aims to:

i). Establish flexible curriculum delivery pathways to enhance access, retention and transition;
ii). Establish a competency-based curriculum for all levels of education and training
iii). Establish new pedagogical approaches to implement a competency-based curriculum;
iv. Institutionalise formative assessment at all levels of education and training,
v). Mobilise resources for curriculum development and implementation;
vi). Strengthen curriculum governance and management
vii). Enhance and strengthen STEM in the curriculum;
viii). Enhance Public-Private Partnership in curriculum development and delivery;
ix). Establish mechanisms for enhancing access to curriculum delivery materials
x). Develop and implement curriculum that is friendly to SNE and vulnerable learners.
xi). Harmonise national curriculum with regional and international standards
xii). Provide for county-specific curriculum content.

Ladies and Gentlemen;
This policy has been developed after the summative evaluation of 2009 which indicated gaps in the current curriculum. It provides for alignment of the curriculum to the requirements of Constitution of Kenya and Kenya Vision 2030. It will help the Government to provide education appropriate for the age of the learners, through essential pathways. It will ensure learners pursue individual interest and development of their talents besides facilitating entry and re-entry at different levels.

It has defined competencies at various education levels to adequately measure the learning achievements of learners.

Ladies and Gentlemen;
The policy gives direction to implementation of a relevant competency-based curriculum, which will ensure that all learners acquire competencies and qualifications capable of promoting national values, inspiring individual innovation and life-long learning.

The curriculum’s mission is “Nurturing every learner’s potential” who is engaged, empowered, and ethical citizen who contributes to make a socially, economically, politically stable society”.

With those remarks, it is now my pleasure to launch the National Curriculum Policy for Education.”

Thank you