All Teachers to undergo Sign Language Training and schools funding model revised: Latest Education News
Students under the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) will have an additional opportunity to modify their preferred area of study in Senior Secondary school within two months of their enrollment.
Simultaneously, the government has announced plans to formulate a new funding structure for senior schools aimed to commence in January when the initial CBC group moves from Junior to Senior Secondary school.
The specifics are detailed in the ‘Final County Dialogue Report 2025’.
This document presents an extensive overview of the Competency-Based Education (CBE) execution in Kenya, including stakeholder responses from all 47 counties.
According to the proposal, funding for students in senior school will depend on their chosen fields of study.
This might result in technical and science subject schools receiving greater financial support due to the significant expenses tied to these areas of instruction.
“The government is creating a Senior School Funding Model for Grade 10 to rationalize funding per pupil based on pathway needs,” the report states.
Additionally, the ministry will restrict students from the same junior school from enrolling in the same senior boarding school to a maximum of five.
Nonetheless, this regulation will not apply to counties with a limited number of senior schools, particularly in underserved regions.
The Ministry of Education has also declared intentions to implement a structured career guidance program in Grade 7.
This initiative aims to assist learners in making better-informed choices about their studies in Senior Secondary school.
Moreover, in what could be a significant breakthrough for private schools, these institutions will now be included in the selection portal, allowing students the option to choose whether they want to attend.
This will resemble the university selection guidelines that enable students to decide between private or public universities.
However, it remains uncertain whether students opting for private schools will receive capitation funding similar to their counterparts in public schools.
In a potential major shift in teacher training, the report has urged that Kenyan Sign Language be made compulsory in teacher education programs.
This signifies that all educators will need to acquire KSL during their training.
Per the report, this necessity arises from the deficit of special needs educators.
“Integrate Kenyan Sign Language as a core competency in all teacher education to assist learners with hearing impairments,” the report indicates.
Stakeholders have also raised concerns regarding the lack of teachers in various educational fields.
They specifically pointed out specialized areas of learning such as Music in Creative Arts, Special Needs Education (SNE), and pre-technical studies.
Furthermore, subjects necessitating technical skills, like vocational and technical education, were noted as critically understaffed.
It may also represent a significant advancement for private schools, as the government now proposes the creation of a policy to aid these institutions in obtaining government-sourced learning resources.
Under this arrangement, the private educational institutions are positioned to obtain significant discounts on textbook purchases and lessen the financial strain on parents.
“Develop a policy that allows private educational institutions to access government-provided learning materials through a subsidized system,” the report states.
The decision is a response to private school stakeholders who feel “frequently excluded from government textbook distribution initiatives. ”
The report has also suggested assessing the readiness of institutions to accommodate senior school students.
This comes after various stakeholders reported that many educational institutions lacked sufficient classrooms, laboratories, teachers, or resources necessary to provide STEM, Arts, and Social Sciences.
The audit would guide pathway specialization, tackle infrastructure shortcomings, and aid the transition to Senior School.
“Prioritize a national audit of school readiness for pathway implementation, encompassing facilities, staffing, and instructional resources,” the report states.
The report further proposes the enhancement of career guidance systems.
This comes after stakeholders noted that learners tend to select subjects and career paths “too early, particularly at the Senior School level. ”
Parents and teachers advocated for allowing exploration prior to decisions, highlighting a requirement for informed choices.
The report contends that a structured guidance and counseling strategy will assist learners in making informed choices.
The report has also recommended that the government provides funding and assistance for digital devices and infrastructure, especially in underserved and rural educational institutions.
This will encompass solar-powered laboratories and mobile ICT units.
This is after stakeholders indicated that the majority of schools lacked internet access, computers, or electricity, particularly in rural or distant areas.
It will also represent a significant victory for dropouts as the report now advocates for creating a pathway for learners to re-enter the system under CBC.
This indicates that those who studied under the 8-4-4 system but did not complete their education now have the opportunity to do so under CBC.
According to the proposal, KICD will establish a CBC Pathway for adult learners.
“Align adult learning programs with CBC principles and construct structured re-entry pathways for out-of-school youth and adult learners,” the report states.