Missing Grade 8 books are on the way, says Education PS Kipsang

Basic Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang has said Grade 8 CBC learners will have all their books in the next 30 days. 

Belio said Grade 8 learners have received most of their books and that it is only two books which have not been delivered to schools. 

“I want to confirm that the books for Grade 8 are already in school. What we are finalising on are those two learning areas that were reviewed,” he said. 

“Otherwise all books for the other learning areas are already in school and the remainder of the books should be in school in the next 30 days for the areas that were reviewed because we had to go back to realign the areas to what was required.”

Further, Belio said the Ministry is already preparing books for Grade 9 learners. 

He said this is necessary to allow teachers ample time to familiarise themselves with the books even before the learners arrive at school.

“As we prepare for the Grade 9 assessment, we shall be able to do that from the content that our teachers have been appreciating,” he said. 

The PS said books for Grade 9 learners will be ready in the next two months. 

As per the recommendations of the Presidential Working Party on Education Reform (PWPER), the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) reduced the number of subjects under the Competence-Based Curriculum

In a circular to regional, county and subcounty directors of Education dated December 20, 2023, Belio said KICD decided in consultation with the Ministry of Education.

PWPER said learning areas under the CBC needed to be integrated to address gaps and content overload.

It said subjects in Pre-primary (PP1-PP2) should not exceed five, Lower Primary (Grade 1-3) should not exceed seven; Upper Primary (Grade 4-6) should not exceed eight; Junior School (Grade 7-9) should not exceed nine subjects and Senior School (Grade 10-12) should not exceed seven subjects.

In the circular, Belio said subjects in Junior School have been reduced from 14 to nine with all the nine being made core subjects and mandatory to be studied by all learners.

The number of lessons was reduced from 40 to 35 per week including PPI.

“Integrated Science and Health Education has been integrated into one learning area referred to as Integrated Science with five lessons per week,” the PS said.

Social Studies and Life Skills Education were integrated into one subject referred to as Social Studies with four weekly lessons.

Agriculture was combined with Home Science into Agriculture and Nutrition with four weekly lessons; Pre-technical Studies, Computer studies and Business studies were integrated into Pre-technical studies with four lessons per week while Physical Education and Sports, Visual Arts and Performing Arts into Creative Arts and Sports with five weekly lessons.