Ministry Outlines Education Quality Achievements and Initiatives
In the last six years, significant improvements have been observed in the quality of education in 135 targeted sub-counties in Kenya, thanks to the Ministry of Education’s efforts facilitated by a World Bank-funded project.
The Kenya Secondary Education Quality Improvement Project (SEQIP) was aimed at enhancing the quality of education in 135 sub-counties across 30 counties. These sub-counties were carefully selected based on specific criteria, resulting in notable improvements in teaching quality and other educational aspects from 2017 to December 2023.
According to Mr. Elijah Mungai, the Director of the Directorate of Projects Coordination and Delivery in the State Department for Basic Education, key achievements include addressing the shortage of teachers for science, mathematics, and English subjects in targeted areas. The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) implemented this initiative, which led to the employment of 2,592 secondary and 920 primary school teachers.
Director Mungai highlighted that the intervention included piloting live streaming of lessons in 10 satellite schools from two main schools. Additionally, a school-based teacher support system enhanced professional development for teachers, benefiting a total of 51,950 teachers in 6,500 primary schools and 2,000 secondary schools.
Distribution of textbooks was a crucial aspect of the project, with 2,254,782 science, mathematics, and English textbooks provided to grade 7 and 8 learners in 7,852 primary schools and 4,329,057 textbooks distributed to learners in grades 1-4 in 2,147 secondary schools. Furthermore, resources such as brailled textbooks, printed textbooks, and assistive devices were distributed to learners with disabilities.
The establishment of additional classrooms, laboratories, sanitation facilities, and a proposed ultra-modern training facility led to improvements in retention rates in upper primary school and the transition to secondary school.
The Ministry of Education conducted advocacy, community mobilisation, social support, and gender sensitization programmes in 1,476 locations across the 135 b-counties, , distributing 1,478,135 sanitary towels to girls.
Under the Elimu Scholarship Programme, 18,000 learners benefited, with the first cohort achieving impressive results in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams in 2023.
The project also supported system reforms, including the development and introduction of competency-based curriculum (CBC) designs for grades 4–9, implemented by the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD).
Monitoring of learning progress and national examinations was strengthened through baseline and middleline studies, as well as the establishment of a web-based competency-based assessment (CBA) portal.
Policy studies were conducted to address gender-based sexual violence (GBSV) issues, resulting in the formulation of a policy framework. Education officials were also sensitised to the operationalization of gender-responsive mechanisms (GRM) structures.
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Baseline surveys were conducted to address high dropout rates in upper primary grades 7 and 8, and a capacity assessment for the Jomo Kenyatta Foundation (JKF) was conducted to manage and regulate scholarships.
Due to delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the World Bank extended the SEQIP project period until December 2024.
Ministry Outlines Education Quality Achievements and Initiatives
