Gov’t should bear cost of CBC training for teachers, says KNUT boss

By Calistus Imbayi(Education News Kenya — https://educationnews.co.ke/news/govt-should-bear-cost-of-cbc-training-of-teachers-says-knut-boss)

The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) will ensure that teachers are not exposed to programmes that will frustrate their delivery in class.

This has been revealed by the KNUT National Secretary General Mr. Collins Oyuu.

Oyuu was speaking during a stakeholders update on the Curriculum Reforms Implementation Forum organized by the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) on Monday 27th September 2020.

The meeting brought together 110 KNUT Executive Secretaries.

Mr. Oyuu stated that Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) can only succeed if teachers’ interests are taken into account.

“When teachers are given the right information they react positively and in the right way but when they are misinformed, they react negatively and in the wrong way,” said, the SG.

Mr. Oyuu regretted that 282 teachers were severely punished by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), six of whom died while on interdiction, saying that this happened because nobody cared to put teachers on the right path of formulating, administration and disseminating of CBC.

“We will never forget that since it involved the lives of our members at the grass roots,” he said.

The SG reiterated that CBC trainings should be decentralized closer to the teachers adding that the government should bear the cost of the training as well.

“Let teachers be engaged positively and with respect since a settled teacher will produce maximally,” he said.

The SG also cautioned the TSC about organizing trainings over the weekends saying that they should know that doing so was wrong and unprofessional.

“In this, teachers may not be happy but  they may not have said it in the past, let us respect the faith and religion of all our teachers by engaging them on professional matters during working days and hours,” added Mr. Oyuu.

The SG however thanked the government for organizing the session with the 110 KNUT Executive Secretaries saying that it was the right forum unlike in the past where they were left out on important discussions pertaining education.

“In the past the right information has been given to the wrong people but now we shall work together and succeed if we consult,” he said.

He asked the ministry to go down to the grassroots and engage teachers through the 110 KNUT Secretaries for they shall receive positive acceptance on CBC.