To Avoid Education Crisis Facing the Country During CBC Transition, Schools Need More Facilties

The annual KESSHA conference going on in Mombasa attended by nearly 7,000 principals, could not have come at any other time but now to discuss the education crisis the country is facing, especially this transition time for the Competency-Based Curriculum from the 8-4-4 system. Indeed, this transition was necessary, but it has brought forth a myriad challenges that require immediate responses at this time, considering that it’s an essential moment to shape the future—by equipping students with actual skills and knowledge in nation-building.

Among the greatest challenges are delayed capitation, congestion in secondary schools facilitated by the 100 percent transition policy, and inadequate preparation for the Junior Secondary School phase. The situation is further muddled when the Cabinet Secretary for Education, Ezekiel Machogu, pointed out budgetary constraints that prevent hiring 46,000 JSS teachers on permanent terms. It is these teachers who have been recently employed on an internship basis and have been negotiating for permanent and pensionable terms. Following the shelving of the Finance Bill, 2024, it places them in a dilemma.

Despite all the setbacks, opening more facilities for JSS Grades 7, 8, and 9 is still imperative. The following are some of the options to mitigate these issues:

1. Infrastructure Expansion: More classrooms, laboratories, libraries, and other facilities should be built or renovated to be able to accommodate the growing student body. This should further be accompanied by exploring possibilities of public-private partnership to mobilize more resources for its expansion.
2. Teacher Recruitment and Training: If the budget cannot accommodate permanent recruitment, then temporary measures that include contract extension for interns with better working terms, or other ways of funding, could guarantee continuous support towards the teachers. Continuous Professional Development programmes for teachers can be used in building their capacity to deliver the CBC effectively.
3. Efficient Resource Allocation: Rigorous following and ensuring timely disbursement of capitation funds to schools can certainly work wonders in cushioning the shock of budgetary constraint on education. The school, therefore, should ordinarily adopt open, accountable, and transparent financial management practices that would ensure effective utilization of whatever is available to have maximum effect.
4. Innovative Learning Models: Blended models of learning using technology can help reduce pressure on the physical infrastructure. E-learning platforms and electronic resources can supplement classroom teaching in overcrowded schools.
5. Community and Stakeholder Engagement: Engaging parents, local communities, and other stakeholders in support of school activities may create a collaborative mode for addressing the gaps in infrastructure and other resources. Such community-driven projects may therefore support school facilities in matching government efforts to improve the facilities.
6. Policy and Advocacy: The education officials in charge and heads of schools should be out in the lobby to keep pressure on the commitment by the government, which further translates into increased public investment into the sector. This step keeps the policymakers informed about the importance and long-term benefits that will be attained from the necessary education reform. This could be used to influence positive budget allocations and policy decisions.
7. Monitoring and Evaluation: Provide monitoring and evaluation mechanisms that can establish the effectiveness of strategies implemented and efficiency in resource use. Regular assessments could identify areas for improvement, and information could be obtained for making data-driven decisions.

This will call for a multi-facet approach by working on immediate needs while planning long-term, sustainable solutions. The discussions and agreements reached at the KESSHA conference offer an opportunity to play a key role in shaping strategies that will ensure support for young learners in this fast-moving educational terrain.