The government is prepared for the transition of the first cohort of Grade 9 learners under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), according to Education PS Belio Kipsang.
Kipsang announced that the Ministry of Education has printed and distributed 9.9 million textbooks for Grade 9 learners.
“I’m told 85% of schools have received their books. Some schools did not have teachers to receive them, but by the end of the weekend, all schools will have their books in readiness for learning,” he said.
Speaking in Mombasa, where he was accompanied by six county education directors from the Coast region, Kipsang also provided updates on classroom construction.
He reported that over 13,200 of the required 16,000 Grade 9 classrooms have already been completed.
“The ministry has built 10,100 classrooms, while the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) has completed 3,100 classrooms. An additional 2,800 classrooms are at various stages of construction—900 by the ministry and 1,900 by NG-CDF,” he said.
Kipsang assured that the ministry’s remaining classrooms would be completed within the next five days. However, the NG-CDF classrooms may take longer due to the various approvals required before construction begins.
On staffing, Kipsang revealed that the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has recruited 20,000 intern teachers for Junior Secondary Schools. This follows the absorption of 46,000 intern teachers into permanent and pensionable positions, as well as the recruitment of 10,000 additional teachers.
“As of now, there are more than 80,000 teachers in our junior schools to take care of Grade 9 learners,” Kipsang said, though he noted that the country still requires 140,000 teachers for junior schools.
He added that schools are ready to receive Grade 9 learners starting Monday, with measures in place to ensure a smooth transition.
“Some schools have gone the extra mile to ensure learners have a comfortable place to study,” he said, noting that newly recruited teachers have reported to their respective stations.
Addressing concerns about boarding facilities, Kipsang stated that 348 boarding schools whose facilities were suspended will remain closed until they meet the required standards.
“Each school was given a report outlining what to do. Most have complied and requested inspections, which we are conducting,” he said.
For schools that remain non-compliant, parents have been advised to seek alternative schools for their children. “We gave these schools almost two months to address the issues,” Kipsang added.
Kipsang assured that KCSE results for the 2024 cohort would be released within the next 10 days.
