While speaking through a popular radio station the newly elected Principal Secretary, Prof Fatuma Chege, said no teacher will be allowed to teach without a Certiificate of good conduct under the new curriculum.
Chege’s remarks comes just a month after a similar statement in February when she was leading the taskforce on the transition from the 8-4-4 to the 2-6-3-3 education system.
President Uhuru Kenyatta on Tuesday 23rd March 2021 nominated Prof Fatuma Nyaguthii Chege for the position of Principal Secretary for the newly created State Department for Implementation of Curriculum Reforms under the Ministry of Education.
Speaker of the National Assembly, Justin Muturi, had said he received the President’s communication, which also sought her vetting and subsequent approval.
“The President, having exercised his powers under Article 155(3)(a) of the Constitution, is now seeking the approval of the National Assembly on the appointment of Prof Chege as a Principal Secretary for the aforementioned State Department,” said Muturi.
Pursuant to provisions of the law and of Standing Order 42 relating to appointment, Muturi referred the message, together with Prof Chege’s Curriculum Vitae to the Departmental Committee on Education and Research.
He told the committee to undertake the necessary approval hearings.
“The Committee should notify the nominee and the public of the time and place for holding the approval hearings in good time, and upon conclusion of the hearings, table their Report in the House by April 15 to enable the House to consider the matter within stipulated timelines,” said Muturi.
This means MPs will vet President Uhuru Kenyatta’s nominee for Principal Secretary, State Department for Implementation of Curriculum reforms Prof Fatuma Chege.
Under the 2-6-3-3 system introduced with the competency-based curriculum, learners spend two years in pre-primary, six years in primary, three years in junior secondary, and another three years in senior secondary school.
Chege is expected to lead in reforms in the new Curriculum which is marred with challenges.
The new setting means many teachers may be locked out from practising for lack of the document.
Currently only TSC teachers are required to produce a list of documents which include a Certificate of good conduct but only when they are seeking promotion.
Some of the documents required for teachers when applying for promotion include Helb clearance certificate, KRA tax clearance certificate and a clearance certifiacte from the Ethics Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).
A Certificate of good conduct is issued by the Director Criminal Investigations (DCI) and is renewable after twelve months.
One will also have to part with kshs. 1,050 to acquire the document.
Prof Chege said this is among the many changes which will come with the Competency Based Curriculum to help instill integrity in the education sector.
She said the changes will help weed out teachers who lack proper conduct and work ethics.
Chege all TSC teachers will be required to have the certificate once the programme is officially rolled out.
Those in Private schools will also be required to have it for them to be allowed to teach.
Some weeks ago the president lmade several changes in the Education docket by appointing former Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) Chairperson Sarah Ruto the Education Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS).
The president also moved Julius Jwan, former KICD Chief Executive Officer, to the State Department of Early Learning and Basic Education as PS, which is critical in rolling out the new 2-6-3-3-3 education system.
Jwan served under Ruto at KICD, spearheading the curriculum reforms that had stalled for over 13 years when he joined.
The two officials were instrumental in providing critical technical support and giving practical advice to the Ministry of Education as the government started to move from the current content-based curriculum to CBC.
Chege’s appointment came after Magoha also appointed Charles Ong’ondo to lead the KICD, which is now the centre of focus as implementation of the CBC kicks off in.
Prof Ong’ondo was a member of the task force and his elevation to lead the KICD was seen a clear signal to strengthen the CBC implementation.
What is however worth noting is that Chege will face a daunting task of cushioning parents from the huge cost of implementing CBC by raising and lobbying for adequate resources.
Members of the task force said the thinking behind creation of a new State department was in line with resource mobilization, coordination and implementation.
Chege will now be expected to liaise with the National Treasury, draw budgets and advise on the specific financial needs for implementation.
Together with her team, she is expected to synthesise the CBC report and work closely with the Treasury to get the actual funding and draw a budget.
Chege will now work closely with Ruto and Jwan to make ready basic education institutions to conform with the new transition changes.
Under the new education system, learners will spend two years in pre-primary education, six in primary school, three in junior secondary and another three in senior secondary school.
Chege will also be tasked with the full actualisation of the key recommendations her team made and were adopted for rollout.
This means she will now shoulder the challenges that will come with the implementation of the recommendations made by her team.
The task force report acknowledged that the government will have to dig deep to finance the construction of key infrastructure and staffing needs.
Billions of shillings will be required at the basic, tertiary and university levels to build new classrooms, recruit more teachers and retrain existing staff in an elaborate plan to implement the CBC.
In September last year, President Kenyatta pleaded with governors to use their education budgets to support expansion of spaces in schools.
