Govt urged to keep politicians off CBC review task force

By Benedict Ngetich

The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) wants President Ruto’s administration to keep politicians out of the ongoing debate on whether to scrap off the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) education system or retain it.

Even as the union declares full support on the presidential directive to have an education task force to review the CBC, KNUT Deputy Secretary General (SG) Mr. Hesbon Otieno said the politicians should not be brought on board as part of the stakeholders as they may politicize the sensitive matter.

Speaking at Kapsoit Secondary school in Kericho county during the KNUT Kericho branch mini polls, the official claimed that politics would derail the objectives of the would-be task force.

“We are appealing to Ruto’s administration not to bring on the discussion table politicians who may politicize deliberations on the CBC review. We don’t want people to play around with the lives of our children,” Otieno added.

He stated that the union was ready to participate in the coming public participation on the CBC as one of the key stakeholders in the education sector.

The new KNUT branch Secretary General Ms. Ann Cheruiyot in her office

During his inauguration as the fifth president of Kenya, President Ruto said he would commission a task force to review CBC.

Otieno at the same time said that the union was looking forward to the government employing over 100,000 teachers as it had pledged during the campaign period.

He said hiring of new teachers was long overdue as the country faces a biting tutors shortage amidst increasing enrolment in schools.

“We are looking forward to have a discussion with the government and Teachers Service Commission (TSC) immediately over recruitment of new teachers because indeed there’s a big shortage of tutors,” he added.

During the KNUT Kericho branch by-election, Ms. Ann Cheruiyot was elected as the new branch Secretary after beating her sole opponent Mr. Gideon Mugun. Cheruiyot polled 946 votes with Mugun garnering a paltry 95 votes.

The seat fell vacant after the then Secretary Mr. Stanley Mutai eyed the post of First Vice National Chairman at the union headquarters and was successful.

Ms. Cheruiyot becomes the first KNUT union female branch secretary in the larger Rift Valley region.

The long serving teacher promised not to be biased during delivery of her services.