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Bernard Gitau @benagitau

A full-fledged State department will administer the new A full-fledged State department will administer the new Competency Based Curriculum (CBC).

President Uhuru Kenyatta yesterday issued an Executive Order to establish the new State department for Implementation of Curriculum Reforms vested in the Ministry of Education to be headed by a Principal Secretary.

Speaking during the official launch of the task force report on the proposed education system to replace the 35-year-old 8-4-4 system, the President said the outgoing system proved rigid and unforgiving to the learner, who did not fit into its mold.

“Indeed, it marks a turning point in our education system. Every epoch in our nation has placed a unique set of demands on the skills and competencies needed in the workplace, which in turn has required us to reform and recalibrate the content and architecture of our education system,” said Uhuru.

President Uhuru said the new State Department will establish a comprehensive Monitoring and Evaluation mechanism to ensure its full implementation and achieve the desired results.

The State department will facilitate tracking of the implementation process so that prompt interventions can be incorporated where necessary.

“They will re-engineer the Standards and Quality Assurance function to ensure that CBC is implemented with fidelity to its aspirations,” added Uhuru.

Other functions

“We are at a tipping-point in our education system.  The old must give way to the new. 

The summons of our times require us to re-imagine how we have educated our children,” said the President.

Other functions of the department will include working with the Teachers Service Commission to ensure all teachers continue getting comprehensive training on CBC implementation.

According to TSC Chief Executive Dr Nancy Macharia, some 150,000 teachers have been trained on CBC at a cost of Sh1.8 billion.

“TSC has also hired 5,000 teachers on permanent and pensionable terms at a cost of Sh2.5 billion and 12,000 interns at a cost of Sh2.4 billion to address shortage,” said Dr Macharia.

According to the CEO, more teachers will continue to be trained to help in successful implementation of the new system.

Collaborate with all relevant institutions to enhance assessment and education programmes for all learners with special needs and disabilities, including the gifted and talented children.

Due to the shortage of human resources and infrastructure, the President urged the teachers’ employer to establish mechanisms of sharing physical and human resources between senior secondary schools and Technical and Vocational Education and Training institutions.

The department will also domicile all sports academies to ensure their curriculum and assessment is standardised.