8-4-4 system review team unveiled

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Anthony omuya | NATION Education minister Sam Ongeri at the launch of the taskforce to review the education system at Kenya Institute of Education, Nairobi, on February 02, 2011.  

By AGGREY MUTAMBO amutambo@ke.nationmedia.comPosted Wednesday, February 2 2011 at 21:00

IN SUMMARY

• Taskforce to assess implications of new laws on education and determine content of the curriculum

A team to review the 8-4-4 education system was launched on Wednesday.

The 35-member taskforce will assess the implications of the new Constitution on education and determine the content to be taught in schools.

Unveiling the team at the Kenya Institute of Education, Nairobi, Education minister Sam Ongeri said the entire structure of the system, from kindergarten to university, would be reviewed.

“The taskforce is to look into broad areas of education structure, management, policy framework and curriculum,” he said.

It will also refer to previous education policies, study these in relation to emerging issues and conduct discussions with county residents.

The team, under the chairmanship of chemistry scholar Douglas Odhiambo, a former Moi University vice-chancellor, will draw up a comprehensive report and propose a Bill to be forwarded to Parliament for debate.

The taskforce, which has six months to work, is expected to deliver a report that will be the basis for an education Bill to be presented in Parliament.

Others in the team are Dr Peter Keiyioro, an ICT specialist (vice chairperson), Sunday Nation columnist Philip Ochieng’ and Ms Njoki Ndung’u, a former member of the Committee of Experts on constitutional review.

Also in the task force are Kenya Secondary Schools Association chairman Cleopas Tirop and university lecturers Wangari Mwai and Bernard Murumbi.

The taskforce has drawn representatives from higher learning institutions, secondary school heads association, Education ministry and State Law Office. Others are from the national parents associations, NGOs, and religious groups.

Its recommendations are expected to help stem some of the recurrent problems facing the education sector. They include poor quality, where institutions have been accused of teaching what is not needed, lack of access to education by the poor, cultural barriers to equal education opportunities and conflicts between the public and the private sector.

The Education ministry last month announced an affirmative action in the selection of Form One students to national schools by giving priority to pupils from public schools.

Although private schools protested, Prof Ongeri on Wednesday maintained “it was the only way to give equal opportunities to everyone.”

Last week, the ministry confirmed that it had embarked on syllabus changes by introducing content on dual citizenship, new constitutional commissions as well as county governments.