The rollout of the Competence-Based Curriculum (CBC) began in earnest in primary schools nine years ago. The Ministry of Education (MoE), in collaboration with the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD), demonstrated unwavering dedication to ensuring that learner support materials were ready and distributed to all primary schools in the country.
Publishers like Jomo Kenyatta Foundation, Kenya Literature Bureau, and Moran Publishers also played a crucial role, ensuring that the course books for all grades were durable and in conformity with the syllabus.
Despite the initial efforts, the situation has now reached a critical point. Schools were expected to ensure that the provided books were well cared for, with a vote head for repairing and maintaining learning materials always offered in every fund’s disbursement.
However, after six years of distribution, head teachers of many schools across the country are now making incessant calls to the MoE, highlighting the urgent need for the replacement of course books in the primary section.
A survey done by Education News in the Rift Valley region revealed a dire situation, especially in lower grades, in several primary schools. Initially, the MoE ensured a one-book-per-learner ratio to ensure no congestion on learning materials.
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The impact on the learners is significant. In most schools, learners are compelled to crowd to do an exercise from a single course book. Many headteachers were quick to point out that the books were worn out and have since not been replaced.
This situation not only hampers the learning process but also puts unnecessary strain on the students.
“In some situations, we have requested parents to chip in, but most say it is the responsibility of the government to supply course books,” responded a headteacher on being asked why learners were crowding on one old and tattered book.
The same scenario is replicated in most schools in Western and Eastern regions. Teachers are sometimes forced to have their learning areas’ textbooks, which makes it difficult for the learners to follow the lessons effectively. The recent rationalization of the curriculum worsens the situation. The MoE has not tried distributing course books for the affected learning areas. In this case, teachers are forced to source content from different textbooks.
To ensure timely and effective implementation of the competency-based curriculum, the MoE should step in expeditiously and ensure timely replacement of course books maintained in our primary schools.
The amount given under instructional materials repairs is too small to accommodate the purchase of enough course books.
By Kaptich Tarus
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