Nandi clergy have called on the Competency Based Curriculum taskforce to consider including them in the educational reforms citing to have been sidelined in matters education.
The clergy led by the Anglican Church of Kenya Kapsabet Diocese Bishop Dr. Paul Korir while presenting their views, told the taskforce that religious leaders have been locked out of education reforms and yet they (the churches) are the founders/sponsors of a good number of schools in the region and the Nation at large but have not been consulted to give their input on education development.
“We call upon the stakeholders to count on our submissions. Religious leaders or rather churches have not been involved in the education reforms as they are perceived to only conduct prayers in school functions. ” Korir lamented.
He added that being clergies does not restrict them to one area saying they are also part of the leadership and should be involved in any crucial matter.
The Bishop proposed the church leadership to be integrated into schools management as well as to offer spiritual support to learners and staff with hopes that the government through the CBC taskforce will take that into consideration.
Other stakeholders present at the meeting including the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) The Kenya Union of post primary Education Teachers (KUPPET), political leaders and parents association among other stakeholders also raised their concerns over the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) terming it as expensive and discriminatory as majority of parents don’t meet the expenses.
They affirmed that parents have to stretch down their pockets in order to afford the books and teaching materials which has drained them a lot and there is need to review the curriculum.
Moreover, they have requested that junior secondary schools be domiciled in primary schools not in secondary schools and the government should ensure there are enough structures to accommodate this.