Marginalised communities

In primary schools reform, the Ministry of Education will lay special focus on marginalised communities that have long suffered from poor quality education.The ministry proposes the expansion of school meals (feeding) programmes so that all children in pre-primary and primary schools get a midday meal through the Government and community-supported initiatives.The Government also seeks to expand and allocate more resources to mobile and low-cost boarding primary schools in the hard-to-reach arid and semi-arid lands.

The document notes that 50 per cent of students who should be in secondary schools are not enrolled, with completion rates in North Eastern and Coast regions about three times less than those in Central and Nairobi.In the North Eastern and Coast regions, more than seven of every 10 teens do not get a secondary school education, according to the document.It cites various challenges affecting pupils countrywide, including a high pupil-teacher ratio, high repetition rates, weak management of teachers, increased number of orphans due to diseases such as HIV/Aids, gender and regional disparities, among others.“The most pronounced disparities exist in arid and semi-arid areas, and pockets of poverty in rural and urban areas,” the document states.“It is notable that in some schools, parents have employed untrained teachers to ameliorate the shortage of teachers, thus negatively affecting the quality of teaching and learning.

“There are other challenges in providing an education that takes account of spiritual, social, security, moral and cultural practices that impede access, equity and relevance,” the document reads.The ministry proposes the integration of the madrassa/duksi system into the formal education system in predominantly Muslim areas to improve learner access and retention.Primary education, the ministry says, is the highest consumer of the sect or’s budget. The ministry proposes that the Government floats bonds to complement regular financing. The Government, it says, should also review unit costs after every five years “to take into account emerging issues in the sector and inflationary tendencies.”The Government also aims to “develop and standardise diagnostic assessment tools to facilitate the early identification, assessment and placement of learners with special needs.”

Marginalised communities

In primary schools reform, the Ministry of Education will lay special focus on marginalised communities that have long suffered from poor quality education.The ministry proposes the expansion of school meals (feeding) programmes so that all children in pre-primary and primary schools get a midday meal through the Government and community-supported initiatives.The Government also seeks to expand and allocate more resources to mobile and low-cost boarding primary schools in the hard-to-reach arid and semi-arid lands.

The document notes that 50 per cent of students who should be in secondary schools are not enrolled, with completion rates in North Eastern and Coast regions about three times less than those in Central and Nairobi.In the North Eastern and Coast regions, more than seven of every 10 teens do not get a secondary school education, according to the document.It cites various challenges affecting pupils countrywide, including a high pupil-teacher ratio, high repetition rates, weak management of teachers, increased number of orphans due to diseases such as HIV/Aids, gender and regional disparities, among others.“The most pronounced disparities exist in arid and semi-arid areas, and pockets of poverty in rural and urban areas,” the document states.“It is notable that in some schools, parents have employed untrained teachers to ameliorate the shortage of teachers, thus negatively affecting the quality of teaching and learning.

“There are other challenges in providing an education that takes account of spiritual, social, security, moral and cultural practices that impede access, equity and relevance,” the document reads.The ministry proposes the integration of the madrassa/duksi system into the formal education system in predominantly Muslim areas to improve learner access and retention.Primary education, the ministry says, is the highest consumer of the sect or’s budget. The ministry proposes that the Government floats bonds to complement regular financing. The Government, it says, should also review unit costs after every five years “to take into account emerging issues in the sector and inflationary tendencies.”The Government also aims to “develop and standardise diagnostic assessment tools to facilitate the early identification, assessment and placement of learners with special needs.”