Government Introduces Community of Practice (CoP) Model for JSS Curriculum
The Centre for Mathematics, Science, and Technology Education in Africa (CEMASTEA) is leading efforts to improve the implementation of the competency-based curriculum.
The state agency has implemented the community of practice (CoP) model to improve collaboration and knowledge sharing among junior secondary school (JSS) instructors and learners to ensure the success of the CBC.
A community of practice (CoP) is a collection of people who share a common concern, set of issues, or interest in a particular topic. They work together to achieve individual and group goals.
According to the program‘s coordinator, George Kiruja, the notion proved crucial in resolving gaps in curriculum implementation, with teachers working together to learn from one another and achieve intended results.
Kiruja explained that the idea is to help teachers work as a community. He outlined that the model promotes peer learning, the exchange of best practices, and collaborative problem-solving, providing a platform for teachers to share insights, resources, and strategies for delivering the competency-based curriculum (CBC) effectively.
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As a result, teachers can work together to analyze and understand curriculum designs and other resources, create plans and learning materials, and implement lessons.
He explained that collegiality allows teachers to use locally accessible resources to transfer information to students.
Speaking in Kisumu during a workshop for county trainers for JS teachers from 15 counties in the Nyanza, Western, and North Rift regions, Kiruja stated that CEMASTEA’s advocacy efforts aim to develop dynamic CoPs in all junior schools across the country to improve learning results.
He stated that the competency-based curriculum (CBC) emphasizes learner-centered techniques. Consequently, they believe that teachers will benefit from collaborating, which will enhance students’ sense of security and ultimately contribute to better learning outcomes in the future.
He noted that the CoP can be between teachers from the same school or instructors of the same learning areas from different schools in the same school or community.
He explained that learning experiences can be face-to-face, online, or hybrid, with teachers encouraged to use social media platforms such as WhatsApp.
He announced the establishment of regional and subject-specific clusters to enable teachers to incorporate unique pedagogical approaches into the CBC curriculum.
CEMASTEA, he noted, has created a platform for instructors to share their concerns to provide focused training.
CoP, he explained, can also occur between kids from the same school, a neighboring school, or students pursuing the same learning area so that they can share their interests and learn from one another.
He went on to say that learners will not only pursue their interests but also excel if they can work together as a community with shared expectations from the curriculum.
This, he remarked, will help students find their appropriate pathways when they progress to senior school.
Lucy Wairimu, a JSS teacher in Nakuru County, stated that the training was eye-opening and will allow teachers to easily move from subject-to-learner-centered pedagogies for effective delivery of the CBC curriculum.
She said they had received a wealth of information that they would disseminate throughout their respective countries. This, she explained, would lead to teachers engaging learners more and embracing a community of practice for better outcomes.
Francis Wafula, a JS teacher in Busia County, said the model has allowed teachers to learn from one another and be more creative in delivering the curriculum.
He continued by stating that they have received training on using locally available materials and ICT for teaching through CEMASTEA.
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He advocated for greater in-service training for junior school teachers to assist them in specializing in satisfying the learner’s expectations.
Even though Junior School is housed in a primary school, he believes the institutions must operate independently to effectively offer the curriculum.
He stated that the institutions will have their own national games, music and theater festivals, and science and engineering fairs to help students transfer to the three pathways in senior high school.
Government Introduces Community of Practice (CoP) Model for JSS Curriculum
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