Private varsities now want Junior Secondary to be domiciled in primary schools
Dr Vincent Gaitho, NAPUK's Secretary General, who is also Mount Kenya University Pro-Chancellor. Tertiary/University education
Majority of Kenyan schools have no adequate resources in terms of infrastructure to seamlessly implement CBC, says association of non-public institutions
By James Wakahiu
Worth Noting:
- The association wants the Ministry of Education to implement policies that will change parents and students’ mindset that geographical mobility is not the perfect measure of transition from one schooling level to another. “Embracing e-learning will make Kenyans appreciate that time and space are inconsequential when it comes to acquiring an education,” said the memo in part.
- According to NAPUK, there are several benefits of hosting Junior Secondary in primary schools. Primary school teachers who have upgraded to university degree qualifications can adequately support Junior Secondary in their current primary stations while university graduate teachers in primary schools can be promoted and adequately compensated to engage in supporting Junior Secondary classes.
Private universities want Junior Secondary as proposed in the new Competency Based Curriculum (CBC)’s 2-6-3-3-3 system to be domiciled in primary schools instead of in secondary schools.
The National Association of Private Universities in Kenya (NAPUK) says hosting Junior Secondary in primary schools will give room for primary school teachers who have upgraded to university degree qualifications to adequately support Junior Secondary and be compensated. Napuk is also worried that a majority of Kenyan schools have no adequate resources in terms of infrastructure to seamlessly implement the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC).
In a memoranda submitted to the 49-member Presidential Working Party on Education Reform on November 11 at Chania High School in Thika town, NAPUK said secondary schools are already too strained to accommodate pupils transiting from primary schools due to government’s 100 per cent transition policy that started four years ago.
NAPUK recommends that Junior Secondary be domiciled in primary schools instead of secondary schools, since the exiting Standard Eight pupils (the 8-4-4 curriculum continuing students) will leave behind infrastructure that can adequately host Junior Secondary students. The memorandum is signed by Dr Vincent Gaitho, NAPUK’s Secretary General, who is also Mount Kenya University Pro-Chancellor. Tertiary/University education.
The association wants the Ministry of Education to implement policies that will change parents and students’ mindset that geographical mobility is not the perfect measure of transition from one schooling level to another. “Embracing e-learning will make Kenyans appreciate that time and space are inconsequential when it comes to acquiring an education,” said the memo in part.
According to NAPUK, there are several benefits of hosting Junior Secondary in primary schools. Primary school teachers who have upgraded to university degree qualifications can adequately support Junior Secondary in their current primary stations while university graduate teachers in primary schools can be promoted and adequately compensated to engage in supporting Junior Secondary classes.
By so doing, NAPUK says, the government will be killing two birds with one stone. Given the tender age of CBC Grade six candidates transiting to Junior Secondary, NAPUK foresees an unprecedented social disorientation, particularly in boarding secondary schools.
“There could be a risk of social disorder and mental challenges coupled with psychological disturbance among continuing Class Seven pupils left behind in primary school while their juniors (CBC Grade 6) proceed to Junior Secondary appearing to jump the queue of education continuum,” reads the statement.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, many Kenyan institutions of higher learning embraced online teaching with the use of various e-learning technologies in rolling out classes, examinations and graduations. Today, all universities in Kenya offer online platforms meant to supporting students who are unable to come to class physically.
It is from this experience that NAPUK wants the government to support efforts to fully digitise these institutions, as well as enhance Commission for University Education’s Open, Distance and E-Learning (ODEL) platforms. Among the projects NAPUK recommends to fully actualise ODEL is by government ensuring nation-wide internet connectivity. “The national government can partner with county governments in rolling out internet connectivity with free Wi-Fi hotspots in appropriate sites and open public parks,” says NAPUK.
If all the aforementioned issues are looked into and enhanced, NAPUK does not see the need to introduce and operationalise the Open University of Kenya, since it will be “a duplication of the already existing open universities in most Kenyan universities under the ODEL platform.”
“The introduction and operationalisation of the Open University of Kenya will be of significant cost on public financing given the already cash-strapped situation in most government sponsored (public) universities. The envisioned Open University of Kenya is as good as the ODEL platform already in place in majority of universities in Kenya,” the memoranda adds.
University funding
Meanwhile, to solve the financial woes facing public universities, NAPUK recommends that the institutions should explore other alternative income sources and see into it that there is prudent financial management of all university funds.
The Education ministry’s budgetary allocation for universities has stagnated over time despite the increased number of government sponsored students in both public and private universities, especially since the 100 per cent transition policy was introduced. NAPUK therefore recommends that placement of students in universities by KUCCPS should be advised by funds available.
In their memoranda, private universities also want the government to address the “glaring discrimination” in government capitation of students, “where students in private university receive less than half capitation received by government-sponsored students in public universities.”
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