Education Reforms Stalemate; TSC vs Machogu.
Ezekiel Machogu, the cabinet secretary for education, has defended the adjustments the Presidential working group has suggested, describing them as essential. The measures have aroused discussion and worries among various stakeholders, including lawmakers and educators.
Thursday’s World Teachers Day celebrations saw President William Ruto’s ideas for education changes come under close scrutiny, and plans to limit the authority of the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) took center stage.
According to some stakeholders, the committee must reexamine some of the reforms recommendations.
TSC, according to Benta Opande, CEO of the Kenya Women Teachers Association (Kewota), is a significant accomplishment, a resultant factor of intense struggle.
Opande claims that we shouldn’t forget that the Kenya National Union of Teachers strike and subsequent detention of some of its members led to the establishment of the TSC. As a result, we want to be clear that we support the commission and cannot afford to reduce its authority.
Kewota contested the suggestions, pointing out that they risk undermining the advancements made in the teaching field since the establishment of the employer TSC.
Speaking at the Kenya School of Government’s 29th annual World Teachers Day event on Thursday, she claimed that thanks to TSC, there is now an equal number of men and women working nationwide.
The Kenya Union of Special Needs Education Teachers expressed similar views. Trimming the TSC’s authority, according to Secretary General James Torome, will weaken the union. He gave the commission credit for more impartiality in teacher promotions.
Torome contends that because it was chaotic, returning to the era when the District Education Officers’ office handled promotions is not wise. Despite being modest, TSC promotions are fair.
Read also: TSC on the Munavu Recommendations
Regardless of stakeholder views, Machogu remains steadfast in his support for the reforms.
Machogu told the media that the implementation process was proceeding during a separate media briefing in his office. Before final adoption, he promised that there will be modifications to the recommendations in line with the law . This is according to Machogu’s reply to MPs questioning the implementation of reforms without involvement of parliament.
The CS disclosed that a committee for overseeing the process and creating draft legislation for submission to Parliament is already in place.
Read also: CS Machogu’s Move on Educational Reform Implementation
In a letter dated October 2, the parliamentarians criticized the Ministry of Education’s choice to examine pre-service teachers’ grades and set an entry standard of a mean Grade of C(Plain).
The MPs claimed that this goes against the direction set forth by the Teachers Service Commission. The plan essentially reduced the prior subject requirements of Grade C(Plain) in English and Kiswahili and set a mean Grade of C(Plain) as the entry mark to the institutions.
Machogu contends in his statement that the ministry, not TSC, is in charge of determining the admittance requirements for teaching colleges.
He says the previous criteria hurt teaching colleges because so many students couldn’t pass the admittance mark. According to Machogu, the institutions have seen an increase in trainees from the previous admission of 3000 to 18000 this year due to modifications in entry requirements.
On Thursday, during the commemoration of World Teachers’ Day, additional measures to reduce TSC authority came under intense criticism.
Creating a comprehensive school system integrating nursery, primary, and junior schools was another sensitive topic that MPs put on line. MPs questioned if it was constitutional, but according to Machogu’s response, they will make the necessary changes before implementation to alleviate any worries.
In addition, Machogu defended the choice to house junior schools in already-existing primary schools by pointing to additional funding designated to aid in this transition and public support.
Additionally, Machogu emphasized that the reduction in the number of disciplines taught in schools resulted from worries about curriculum overload.
According to him, the rationalization of learning areas was progressing and would be complete by December 31, 2023, in time for the next academic year beginning in January 2024.
The intention to cut the number of subjects in junior high is among the major issues hat the Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (KESSHA) feels the committee should reconsider.
According to KESSHA chairperson Kahi Indimuli, the planned subject reduction does not accurately reflect the goals of CBC as initially intended.
The Kenya International Schools Association shared similar opinions.
According to Jane Mwangi, chairperson of the International Schools Association, there are 22 study areas at the junior school level at international schools.
However, Machogu defended the choice by pointing out that similar actions were taken in the prior curriculum when the situation called for them.
He points out that the KCSE, for instance, had 10 subjects in 1989 but was reduced to a minimum of seven and a maximum of nine in 1992 after being evaluated.
Candidates were required to enroll in all three (3) subject clusters needed for grading, including at least two (2) sciences, one (1) humanities, and at least one practical or technical topic.
Changes in the grading of KCSE exams are among the further modifications that the CS justifies.
According to PWPER, English, Kiswahili, and Kenya Sign languages, together with the five other best-performing subjects, will be instrumental in calculating the KCSE mean score. According to Machogu, historically, similar grading modifications are evident.
He claims that the grading method for the 8-4-4 was modified in 1992 to lower the number of subjects for grading students from 10 to 7.
The inadequacy of the previous funding model, according to him, necessitated the changes in university funding, which resulted in underfunding of public universities and TVETs, penalties and interests on Pay as You Earn (PAYE), unpaid statutory deductions, and underfunding of TVET institutions.
Education Reforms Stalemate; TSC vs Machogu.