At least 60,000 secondary school teachers will participate in competency based curriculum (CBC) training in April this year. According to the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), tutors will be re-taught in various subject areas to be offered under the Junior Secondary School section.
For teachers teaching biology and chemistry they will be trained to handle integrated science and health education which are subjects to be offered in junior secondary school.
The material under Integrated Science section will include basic information on Physics, Chemistry and Biology. It has common elements with current subjects like General Science. This means that current teachers of physics, chemistry and biology will once again handle this new material with ease.
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There is no need for a special teacher of integrated science. Students who show an interest in integrated science will likely take the Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) route in senior secondary school.
Content under health education will include environmental science, public health, personal hygiene and nutrition.
Currently, biology and home science teachers already teach components of health science.
As a result, biology and home science teachers only need to be redeployed to teach the subject effectively.
They will be trained to handle pre-technical and pre-career education, which is a subject in the Junior Secondary section, for teachers teaching Physics and Mathematics. Pre-technical and pre-career education will be given in woodwork, metalwork, technical drawing. Electrical, Electronics, Typewriting, Shorthand, Accounting, Home Management, Textiles and Clothing, and Auto Mechanics.
Technical teachers currently in some high schools will continue to teach this new material.
Home science teachers and some maths/physics teachers will be ready to handle pre-technical and pre-career education, which will prepare the learners to join CTS in senior secondary.
For teachers teaching Geography, History and CRE, they will be given training to handle Social Studies in Junior Secondary.
Areas covered include components of history, geography, governance and citizenship.
Currently, teachers of History, Geography and Social Studies have the necessary knowledge to teach this material effectively.
However, the April CBC training will be the first phase of a program involving secondary school teachers.
This phase will target teachers handling science and physical education subjects.
According to a circular issued by TSC CEO Dr. Nancy Macharia, the 60,000 teachers to be trained will be those handling Biology/Chemistry, Physics/Mathematics and Physical Education.
Biology and chemistry teachers will be equipped with expertise on how to handle integrative and health sciences, while those who teach physics and mathematics will be retrained to teach pre-technical and pre-vocational learning.
As per the circular, physical education teachers are expected to teach sports and physical education in secondary schools.
In April, retooling will take place in the form of a five-day face-to-face training, while continuing learning on new subject areas will be transferred online later.
The locations for the program across the country will be carefully selected to ensure that teachers can reach them easily.
SUBJECTS OFFERED IN JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS
Grade 7, 8 and 9
Core subjects
english
Kiswahili or Kenyan Sign Language for Deaf Learners
mathematics
integrated science
health education
Pre-technical and pre-career education
social study
Religious Education – Learners choose any one of the following:
i) Christian religious education
ii) Islamic religious education
iii) Hindu religious education
business Studies
Agriculture
life skills education
Sports and Physical Education
Optional Subject (Min 1, Maximum 2)
visual arts
performing arts
home Science
computer science
Foreign languages:
i) german
ii) French
iii) Mandarin
iv) Arabic
indigenous languages
Kenyan Sign Language
NB: ICT will be a delivery tool for all subjects
The Junior Secondary School will introduce learners to a broad based curriculum to enable them to explore their abilities, personality and potential as a basis for choosing subjects as per the career path of interest to the Senior School.
Learners in Junior Secondary will undergo a rigorous career guidance program and be exposed to relevant subjects so that they can make informed choices while moving on to Senior School.
The subjects taught in Junior Secondary are in two categories; Core and Optional.
At this stage, a broad based curriculum is offered to enable the learner to explore his own interests and possibilities.
Key topics at this level will include; English, Kiswahili or Kenyan Sign Language for learners with the deaf, math, integrated science, health education, pre-technical and pre-career education, social studies, religious education, business studies, agriculture, life skills education, sports and physical education. Optional subjects will include; Visual Arts (Fine Arts, Photography), Performing Arts (Music, Dance), Home Science, Computer Science, Foreign Languages, Kenyan Sign Language and Indigenous Languages.
In Grade 4, learners will be introduced to the optional subjects offered in upper primary to make an informed choice in Grade 7.
