Education PS Clarifies on Missing Grade 8 Books
Education PS Clarifies on Missing Grade 8 Books
Under the next thirty days, all of the books required for Grade 8 Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) students will be sent, according to an announcement made by Belio Kipsang, Principal Secretary of Basic Education. With just two books still awaiting delivery to schools, he gave the assurance that the bulk of Grade 8 students had already gotten their books.
Belio explained that in order to comply with the updated standards, these two learning areas are undergoing final changes.Belio said that the Ministry is currently preparing books for students in Grade 9 in addition to addressing Grade 8. The purpose of this preventive action is to provide educators enough time to become acquainted with the resources before the children start their school year. Books for students in Grade 9 will be available for distribution in the next two months, according to Belio.
This initiative aligns with the recommendations of the Presidential Working Party on Education Reform (PWPER), which advocated for a reduction in the number of subjects under the CBC. The Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD), in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, acted on this guidance. In a circular dated December 20, 2023, Belio conveyed that subjects in Junior School (Grade 7-9) have been reduced from 14 to nine, with all nine becoming core subjects mandatory for all learners.
Furthermore, the circular outlined specific subject integrations to streamline the curriculum and address content overload. Integrated Science and Health Education merged into a single learning area called Integrated Science, with five lessons per week. Social Studies and Life Skills Education were consolidated into Social Studies, featuring four weekly lessons.
Agriculture and Nutrition, which offers four weekly sessions, was formed by combining Agriculture and Home Science. Pre-technical studies included four lessons a week that combined Pre-technical studies, Computer studies, and Business studies. Last but not least, five weekly sessions of Visual Arts, Performing Arts, Physical Education and Sports, and Creative Arts and Sports were combined.
The objective of this curriculum restructuring is to provide students with a more concentrated and efficient learning experience while complying with the PWPER’s recommendations about the quantity of lessons and lessons at various educational levels.
