Teachers and parents in various counties claimed that secondary schools are not ready to receive junior secondary school students. The public participation was part of the task that the CBC taskforce was mandated to do by President William Ruto. Additional issues presented to the taskforce include shortage of teachers, insufficient capitation, insufficient training of teachers, lack of infrastructure and the high cost of CBC.
The CBC public participation forums kicked off yesterday starting with 10 counties with the education taskforce. Teachers, parents and students presented their recommendations and views. For instance, in Busia County, the issue of junior secondary school transition was raised.
“The issue of junior Secondary should be done away with until further notice because at the moment they are not well prepared,” One of the participants said.
Many are arguing that the students are still young and it will be hard for them. It is evident that secondary school life is not always easy and so the kids will have a rough time. The same was also in Kericho county, who claimed that the secondary schools cannot accommodate the junior students.
“The primary schools alone in Kericho county are seven hundred plus and the secondary schools are almost a quarter, that is approximately 270 so with one class per school that has been build for CBC that shows that our structures cannot accommodate.”
Teacher and parents in Taita Taveta and Kwale counties shared that the content of CBC was not properly understood.
Migori county on the other side largely focused on the fact that special needs students have been neglected in the process of ensuring a smooth transition in the CBC curriculum.
The challenges facing CBC mostly are lack of infrastructure, shortage of teachers and materials to make learning smooth. CBC is fond of requiring many resources where some are inadequate. The 10 counties that participated in the forums include;
 Kwale – Kwale High school
 Taita Taveta – CDF Hall Mwatate
 Marsabit – Moi Girls Marsabit
 Nyandarua – Nyandarua High
 Turkana – Lodwar Boys
 Samburu – St. Irene Secondary
 Mandera – Mandera Secondary School
 Kericho – Kericho Teachers College
 Migori – Migori TTC
 Busia – Lwanya Special School
By Calvin Angatia
