Ruto: I’ll level playing field for all learners
Kenya Kwanza Alliance is pledging to address inequities in the education sector and create a level playing field for all learners irrespective of their background if it forms the next government.
Deputy President William Ruto has committed to provide equitable universal basic education defined as 12 years of schooling.
“Universal primary education was achieved through Free Primary Education but education outcomes remain highly inequitable. Considerable progress has been made towards universal secondary education, but the tiered system, because of boarding costs, put equipped national schools out of the poor’s reach,” reads the Kenya Kwanza manifesto.
The alliance also intends to review the current exam-based system of academic progression, which it says has excluded millions of learners, by implementing alternative entry criteria.
Last month, Ruto (pictured) supported the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC), saying that it is a step in the right direction.
In February, his Kenya Kwanza partner Musalia Mudavadi had vowed that they would abolish the new system if they won the election.
Exam based
But last month, Ruto set the record straight, saying his team will continue to have a conversation with stakeholders about CBC, which is in its fifth year of implementation.
“I want to say from the onset that the graduation that has taken place from knowledge and exam based education to the now knowledge, competences, skill and value based education is the right trajectory,” said Ruto.
“It is very important for us to understand that as Kenya Kwanza, we support the progression from knowledge and exam based to the new format of knowledge skills and competences as well as value based education,” he added.
He said education is responsible for shaping and sharpening the country’s human capital.
Other areas that Kenya Kwanza seeks to address is bridging the teachers shortage gap by employing at least 112,000 in two years if elected into office.
The Kenya Kwanza team has also promised to abolish delocalisation policy, which has been met with opposition by teachers union.
