CS Ogamba: KSh85.5 Billion Spent on CBC in Primary Schools Since 2016.
Education Cabinet Secretary (CS) Julius Migos Ogamba announced that the government has allocated KSh85.5 billion to fund the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) in primary schools over nine years, spanning the 2016/2017 to 2024/2025 financial years.
For Junior Schools, KSh61.66 billion has been spent between the 2023/2024 and 2024/2025 financial years.
Ogamba reported that KSh310 billion has been spent on secondary education in the past five years through capitation, benefiting 19,084,644 students.
Over this period, 3,396,322 students received capitation funds in the 2020/21 financial year, 3,587,081 in 2021/22, 4,172,432 in 2022/23, and 4,238,433 in 2023/24.
Capitation is allocated per learner at KSh1,420 annually for Grades 1–6, KSh15,042 for Junior School, and KSh22,244 for secondary learners.
Allocation for Instructional Materials
The CS detailed that the government has invested KSh21.81 billion in CBC course books, KSh326.15 million for rationalized curriculum designs, and KSh9.6 billion for rationalized course materials.
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The Ministry, through the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD), has procured 9,926,618 Grade 9 textbooks, with 55.33% distributed as of December 6, 2024.
The distribution, based on a 1:1 ratio per learner, is expected to be complete by the end of December 2024. KICD is also uploading curriculum designs online to enhance accessibility for teachers and stakeholders.
Ogamba revealed that primary schools have repurposed classrooms previously used for Standard 7 and 8 for Junior Schools, while 11,000 Grade 9 classrooms are under construction, expected to be ready by January 2025.
Collaboration with NG-CDF aims to deliver an additional 6,800 classrooms. Plans are underway to establish Learning Resource Centres (LRCs).
Senior schools currently have 94,044 classrooms, 13,908 science laboratories, 160,093 sanitary facilities, 1,726 ICT facilities, and 980 workshops.
However, infrastructure shortfalls include 1,223 classrooms, 2,804 science laboratories, 7,801 ICT laboratories, 27,181 sanitation facilities, and 1,750 workshops. The government intends to address these gaps over three years as students progress through senior school.
Teacher Recruitment and Training
The government has hired 76,928 teachers, comprising 56,928 permanent and pensionable teachers and 20,000 interns. Since 2019, 229,292 primary school teachers and 60,642 Junior School teachers have received CBC implementation training.
The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) has developed a Competency-Based Assessment Framework to streamline formative and summative assessments in line with the recommendations of the Presidential Working Party on Education Reform.
The council has adopted technology to enhance the registration process, upload assessment tools, and track learners’ performance efficiently.
To support the transition from the 8-4-4 system, a revised KCSE grading system introduced in 2023 will remain in use until 2027, covering five cohorts of students.
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Candidates are assessed in Mathematics, English or Kiswahili or Kenyan Sign Language, and their five best-performing subjects. Since the 2017/2018 financial year, KSh2.52 billion has been allocated to finance Competency-Based Assessment for primary and Junior School levels.
The stakeholder meeting at the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) brought together Basic Education Principal Secretary Dr. Belio Kipsang, heads of education sector agencies, civil society groups, faith-based organizations, teachers, students, and other stakeholders to discuss the CBC’s progress and reforms.
CS Ogamba: KSh85.5 Billion Spent on CBC in Primary Schools Since 2016
