Tuesday, February 11, 2025
HomeEDUCATIONNew CBC Changes Reduces to Reduce JSS Students' Workload

New CBC Changes Reduces to Reduce JSS Students’ Workload

New CBC Changes Reduces to Reduce JSS Students' Workload

New CBC Changes Reduces to Reduce JSS Students’ Workload

The workload for learners in junior secondary school (JSS) is set to decrease as recommendations have been made to reduce the number of core learning areas from 12 to 10.

The changes will involve combining life skills with social studies and health education with integrated science, which comprises biology, physics, and chemistry.

The official announcement of the changes will be made after President William Ruto receives the report of the Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms (PWPER), which is expected to happen soon since the team’s tenure has expired.

The Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) has instructed publishers to withhold the submission for evaluation of teaching and learning materials of the affected learning areas for Grade Eight informally.

However, KICD boss Charles Ong’ondo confirmed the communication to the publishers but said the matter would be firmed up after the PWPER tables its report. The affected learning areas are business studies, agriculture, life skills, and sports and physical education.

Information and communication technology will be integrated and used as a delivery tool for all the subjects, and the optional subjects are visual arts, performing arts, home science, computer science, foreign languages (German, French, Mandarin and Arabic), Kenyan Sign Language, and indigenous languages.

Some publishers are concerned about the new changes and the content that will be shed off to combine the learning areas without making it too shallow or too bulky for the learner. They feel this requires new curriculum designs.

The implementation of JSS has not been smooth, especially in public schools where learners are most affected by teacher shortages. Despite the government having hired 30,000 new teachers in February, schools still do not have enough teachers.

Additionally, learning was delayed by the late delivery of textbooks, which arrived more than one month after schools reopened. Public schools also lack the infrastructure and equipment to teach new subject areas.

However, the changes will be a relief to learners currently in Grade Seven as they are already studying the 12 core subjects.

Prof Ong’ondo said the curriculum designs for Grade Nine are ready, and KICD will call for the submission of materials for evaluation “as early as August” to get the books in schools early before the learners report.

Grade Nine is the last class in JSS before learners sit their exit exams ahead of the transition to senior secondary school, where they will choose their preferred pathways.

The three pathways learners can choose from are arts and sports science, social sciences, and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics).

New CBC Changes Reduces to Reduce JSS Students’ Workload

Read the full article

RELATED ARTICLES
- Advertisment -

Most Popular

error: Content is protected !!