State urges syllabus review team to focus on quality materials
The government has challenged experts tasked with reviewing the education curriculum to develop quality learning and support materials for schools.
The 23-member team of experts was taken through a three-day induction course and tasked with not only reviewing but also advising on curriculum matters.
The Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) Chief Executive Officer, Charles Ong’ondo yesterday urged the team to ensure they develop top notch curriculum support materials to guarantee effective curriculum delivery.
“Exercise the highest level of skills and diligence when discharging your roles, to ensure that the institute achieves its mandate,” said Prof Ong’ondo.
Curriculum designs
The Academic Committee, chaired by Department of Basic Education Director General, is made up of a team of experts, drawn from public and private sectors.
The team comprises the Federation of Kenya Employers, religious community, Micro and Small Enterprises Federation, parents association, teachers unions, headteachers associations, Teachers Service Commission and all the Semi-Autonomous Government Agency, under the Ministry of Education.
developed curriculum designs for Pre-Primary 1 and 2 as well as Grades 1 to 6.
The designs for Pre-Primary and Grades 1-4 have already been disseminated to schools and are being used for curriculum implementation.
The Grade 5 designs are in the finalisation stage for printing, while the one for Grade 6 is undergoing final review.
The course books and teacher’s guides for Grade 5 have been finalised.
KICD is in the process of developing curriculum designs for Grade 7-9 and the scope and sequence charts for Grade 10-12.
The experts are expected to supervise activities of course and subject panels ,whose responsibilities include guiding appropriate curriculum development activities in relevant learning areas, keeping the existing syllabus curriculum designs under constant review and making appropriate recommendations for consideration.
During the induction, which ended yesterday, members of the academic committee were urged to uphold integrity and set their eyes on international quality standards in education.
Director General, Elyas Abdi who is also the chairperson of the committee, asked the members to get acquainted with the KICD Act and the Curriculum development cycle.
He said the reformed curriculum is dynamic and responsive to the needs of the society as captured in the Basic Education Curriculum Framework that constitutes the architecture of the Competency Based Curriculum.
