NAIROBI, DECEMBER 6, 2016(CISA)-The government will move away from the current 8-4-4 education system and unveil a new education curriculum on Thursday December 8.
The new structure 2-6-6-3-3 has three levels: early years, middle school and senior school education.
According to a document from the Ministry of Education and Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD), in the early year’s category, children will spend two years in nursery and six years in lower and upper primary, each section divided into three years.
Secondary education will also be split into two – lower and senior – each section taking up three years.
However, in upper secondary, learners will be expected to specialise by taking up either of three paths – arts and sports, social sciences and science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
“At grade four, learners will be introduced to the optional subjects offered at upper primary to enable them make informed choices at grade seven,” reads the document in part.
Education Cabinet Secretary Dr Fred Matiang’i said the document is ready and will be presented to stakeholders this week.
“We will present the proposed new curriculum to education stakeholders at a National Curriculum Conference to be held on December 8, 2016, after which we can plan how to implement it,” said Dr Matiang’i.
KICD Chief Executive Officer Jwan Julius said if stakeholders ratify the document this Thursday, piloting will be done from May.
“We shall start piloting of the lower primary, then do a national roll out of the classes in 2018. Other classes will be done on a phased out approach,” Mr Jwan told The Standard Newspaper.
According to the document, children in upper primary– Standard Four to Six – of age nine to 12 will be taught Kiswahili, home science, agriculture, science and technology, religious education, creative arts, physical and health education. Social studies such as citizenship, geography and history will also be taught. Foreign languages (Arabic, French, German and Chinese) will be optional.
“There will be two types of assessment in upper primary. Formative assessment from grades 4-6 will be continuous through individual learners’ portfolios. To transit to grade 7, a national assessment will be administered at grade 6,” reads the document.
