Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) wants President William Ruto’s administration to keep politicians out of the debate on Competency Based Curriculum (CBC).

Even as the union declared its support for the President’s pledge to establish a task force to review the education system, Knut deputy secretary general Hesbon Otieno said politicians should not form part of the stakeholders as they may introduce politics into the matter. Otieno said such a move could derail the objectives of the task force.

Speaking at the weekend at Kapsoit Secondary School playground in Kericho County during the Knut Kericho branch mini elections, the deputy secretary general said all the stakeholders in the education sector should be allowed to deliberate on the new curriculum in an environment free of politics.

“We are appealing to President Ruto’s administration not to bring on the discussion table politicians who may politicise the deliberations on the CBC review. We don’t want people to play around with the lives of our children,” Otieno added.

He said the union was ready to participate in the task force on CBC saying it is a key stakeholder in the education sector.

During his inauguration on September 15, Ruto said a task force would be formed to review the CBC system of education. 

There have been mixed reactions among Kenyans and education stakeholders over whether CBC should be scrapped and the 8-4-4 system allowed to continue.

Otieno, at the same time, said the union was looking forward to employment of more than 100,000 teachers by the new administration, as it promised in its campaign manifesto.

He said hiring of new teachers was long overdue as the country faces a biting shortage yet enrollment in schools keeps going up.

“We are looking forward to have a discussion with the government and the Teachers Service Commission  immediately over recruitment of new teachers because indeed there’s a big shortage of tutors. The union is ready to meet the President and TSC over the issue,” he added.

During the Knut by-election, Ann Cheruiyot was elected as the new branch Secretary after beating her sole opponent Gideon Mugun.