Smooth Sailing for Grade 10 Senior School Selections, Says Education Ministry
The Cabinet Secretary for Education, Migos Ogamba, has confidently announced that the process of selecting senior schools for current Grade 9 students is proceeding seamlessly across the nation.
This assurance comes on the heels of the Ministry’s successful formulation of transition and placement guidelines, developed in collaboration with various stakeholders.
Ogamba has urged all junior school heads to engage their career advisors to collaborate with parents of Grade 9 learners, ensuring they have the necessary information to help guide students in making informed decisions about their future educational paths.
During a graduation ceremony for 353 teachers at the Tambach Teacher Training College in Elgeyo Marakwet County, the CS expressed satisfaction with the smooth transition process for learners moving from junior to senior school next year.
He highlighted that this graduating class represents the inaugural group trained under the Competency-Based Teacher Education (CBTE) framework, aimed at equipping educators with not just knowledge, but also the skills to be reflective and responsive to the evolving needs of 21st-century students.
“The National Education Sector Strategic Plan (NESSP) 2023-2027 emphasizes the need to retrain all teacher educators to effectively implement the CBTE curriculum,” he stated.
Acknowledging the crucial role teachers play in the rollout of Competency-Based Education, Ogamba reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to ensuring that all teacher training institutions are adequately equipped to provide high-quality education to aspiring educators.
He praised the college for its accomplishments in a variety of co-curricular activities, which he noted are vital to a well-rounded education. Under the CBTE framework, learning transcends the classroom, incorporating activities that build resilience and essential qualities in the teaching profession.
“The broad and inclusive spectrum of learning areas and co-curricular activities available under the CBTE offers teacher trainees the chance to recognize and leverage opportunities to deliver the curriculum in diverse learning settings,” he remarked.
In a pledge to support the college’s infrastructural development, the CS encouraged the board to seek additional funding through income-generating initiatives to enhance key priority areas.
He called on the board to maintain collaboration with stakeholders and partners, including the NG-CDF, the county government, and other benefactors, to bolster infrastructural growth.
Ogamba noted that the government has allocated a total recurrent grant of 31.4 million shillings to the college over three financial years, from 2022/2023 to 2024/2025, emphasizing the board’s crucial role in ensuring financial transparency, accountability, and effective management of the college’s resources.
“It is imperative to maintain robust internal controls and timely financial reporting in line with the approved International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) model,” he added.
In response to calls from leaders advocating for the college’s upgrade to a university, the CS indicated that the Ministry is awaiting an assessment from the Commission for University Education (CUE), expressing the government’s desire to establish a specialized university in the region.
The event was graced by notable figures, including Principal Secretary (PS) Finance Dr. Chris Kiptoo, PS Forest Gitonga Mugambi, Governor Wisley Rotich, and area MP Adams Kipsanai, among other distinguished guests.