Don't put pressure on pupils, says PS

Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang has cautioned parents against exerting pressure on their Grade Three children, who are being assessed nationally today.

Dr Kipsang said what the pupils will be facing today is a curriculum assessment, to measure the progress and effectiveness of the new Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).

“I want to assure everyone that there is no examination in progress. We are only assessing learners using the new Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC),” said Kipsang.

The PS spoke yesterday at Moi Avenue Primary School when he toured the school to check the progress of learners.

He added that the ministry is monitoring the learners to gauge if they are coping and understanding the skills they are being taken through.

Kipsang reiterated the position of Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha that there will be no grading of schools, adding that despite the performance of the pupils in the assessment, they will all transition to the next level under the 100 per cent transition policy.

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The PS said teachers will undergo more training in December to equip them with the requirements of Grade 4 under the CBC.

The assessment being administered to learners will cover Mathematics, English and Integrated Learning and will continue till the end of the term.

The ministry will receive a detailed report after the completion of the assessment so that it can find better ways to improve and deliver effectively.

Financial constraints

Meanwhile, some head teachers in Homa Bay complained about financial constraints that had affected preparations for the assessment.

They complained that downloading assessment papers from cyber cafes was expensive.

At Shauri Yako Primary School in Homa Bay Town, a desktop and printer were stolen three weeks ago, hence hampering the school's preparations.

A similar complaint was raised by Lake Primary School head teacher Erick Koyier.

He said although the school was prepared for the assessment, it would spend a lot of money in producing assessment papers.

In Nakuru, preparations for the exercise was seamless.

The timetable in circulation indicates that yesterday was the rehearsal day and today pupils will be assessed on Mathematics.

A spot check in schools in Nakuru revealed learning in progress despite the hype on the assessment.

However, most schools have enforced a rule requiring visitors to keep off learning institutions in third term.

Rift Valley Education director John Ololtuaa said most of the schools will undertake Monitoring Learning Progress this week.