2024 Education Sector in Review: Highs, Lows, and Unresolved Issues
The education sector remained a focal point of national debate in 2024, with challenges and achievements shaping the learning environment for students, teachers, and policymakers.
From the ongoing implementation of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) to funding struggles, the year highlighted the need for substantial reforms.
Competency-Based Curriculum: A Divisive Issue
The CBC dominated discussions in 2024, with stakeholders divided over its effectiveness. While the Ministry of Education emphasized its potential to develop practical skills, critics pointed to insufficient teacher training and the high costs borne by parents.
Education officials acknowledged that the country is in a transitional phase and stressed the need for continued adjustments to make the system functional and relevant.
Funding and Accountability Concerns
Funding inadequacies further complicated matters, with school heads reporting significant delays and discrepancies in capitation disbursements.
While the government promised timely capitation, many schools received only a fraction of the allocated funds. These delays led to operational challenges, raising questions about accountability in fund management.
Junior Secondary Schools Infrastructure Crisis
Junior secondary schools encountered a severe shortage of classrooms and facilities, disrupting learning in several regions.
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This issue, coupled with a national teachers’ strike over pay disparities and unclear terms of service for Junior Secondary School educators, underscored the sector’s deep-seated challenges.
Higher Education Struggles Persist
Universities faced a financial crisis, exacerbated by delayed disbursements from the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB).
Students struggled to access loans, while lecturers went on strike over salary disputes and poor working conditions.
Faculty representatives vowed to continue industrial action until their grievances were addressed, recalling past strikes that yielded significant pay increments. The standoff disrupted learning and cast a shadow over higher education’s future.
National Examinations Proceed Amid Challenges
Despite the sector’s difficulties, the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations were conducted smoothly. The Ministry of Education implemented stricter measures to curb malpractices, ensuring credibility in the examination process.
Calls for Urgent Reforms
As the new school term approaches, parents across the country are gearing up to ensure their children are ready for the reopening.
A significant challenge they face is the shortage of textbooks and other learning materials in bookshops. Retailers have reported depleted stocks, citing high demand and supply chain issues.
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This scarcity has left many parents scrambling to secure essential items in time for the first day of school.
As the year concludes, education stakeholders are urging the government to implement comprehensive reforms to tackle the systemic issues plaguing the sector.
From funding transparency to infrastructure development and policy clarity, the need for change has never been more pressing.
2024 Review of The Education Sector: Highs, Lows, and Unresolved Issues
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