Recent education news in Kenya includes the transition of learners to senior school, a potential pay increase for teachers, and ongoing discussions about the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC). Schools are breaking for midterm, and principals are holding a summit in Mombasa. The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) is also dealing with teacher shortages, particularly in junior schools, and is currently vetting teachers for deployment to Junior Secondary Schools (JSS).
Key Updates:
- Transition to Senior School:
Approximately 1.2 million learners currently in junior school are set to move to senior school in January.
- Midterm Break:
Schools are breaking for a five-day midterm starting June 25, 2025.
- Teachers’ Unions and Negotiations:
Teachers’ unions are threatening to disrupt learning due to ongoing negotiations with the TSC.
- Teacher Shortages:
Junior schools are facing a significant teacher shortage, with a deficit of 72,422 teachers, according to the TSC.
- CBC to CBE Transition:
Teachers are undergoing training as the shift from CBC to the Competency-Based Education (CBE) framework continues.
- Potential Teacher Pay Increase:
The TSC is in talks with teachers’ unions, with hopes of a salary increase being implemented at the end of July.
- Infrastructure Development:
Principals are requesting the government to allocate sufficient funds for school infrastructure development.
- Digital Literacy:
The Ministry of Education is rolling out a digital platform to guide Grade 9 learners to senior schools.
- International Collaboration:
The VOICE (Virtual Online International Collaborative Education) project has been launched, connecting students from the University of Nairobi with those from Leiden University and HAN University.
- Concerns about CBC:
There are concerns that CBC learners are shying away from STEM subjects in favor of arts and languages.