Grade 10 guide on learner-support programmes in senior school

Firstly, non-formal programmes (NFPs) refer to any organised, structured and systematic learning activities taking place outside the classroom setting. Meaning, NFPs capture co-curricular activities (CCAs) such as: Kenya Music Festival, Kenya National Drama and Film Festival, Science and Technology and Engineering Fair, games, sports and LSPs. In the whole scheme of things, every learner should participate in at least one co-curricular activity ubiquitous in Senior School. 

2. Guidance and Counselling Services(Education News Kenya — https://educationnews.co.ke/news/grade-10-guide-on-learner-support-programmes-in-senior-school)

Secondly, we have Guidance and Counselling Services (GCS), where every Senior School sets up a well-structured Guidance and Counselling Department steered by the teacher-counsellors. Guidance and Counselling Services revolve around: advising, guiding, leading, supporting and assisting learners in solving problems and exploring plenty of opportunities. Again, Guidance and Counselling Services aim at helping learners make judicious decisions, express emotions, cope with stressors of life, solve personal issues, address developmental challenges, overcome familial conflicts, avoid drugs and substance abuse, and understand mental health issues. 

Thirdly, in Senior Schools, Career Guidance Services is part and parcel of LSPs. This entails well-thought-out activities and services designed to assist learners in making informed career choices while learning in Senior School. In the CBE, its architects recommend job-shadowing and real-life experiences as part of what can prop up learners in making informed career choices. 

Then, Mentorship and Peer Education Programmes take pre-eminence in the LSPs framework in Senior School. This demands that learners get connected to more experienced people such as teachers, mentors, peers or role models to support them to grow and glow in several spheres – academically, socially and spiritually. 

5. Chaplaincy and Pastoral Programmes 

Additionally, in Senior Schools, another LSP is the Chaplaincy and Pastoral Programmes and Instruction (PPI); geared towards supporting learners in matters of character formation and spiritual growth. As an important ambit of LSPs, it should feature on the timetable and be coordinated in terms of the content of activities to be executed on a weekly basis. 

Moreover, still in Senior School, Parental Empowerment and Engagement (PEE) features predominantly in LSPs. It has two pillars: Empowerment and Engagement. Senior Schools are expected to execute this important mandate during Grade 10 Plug-in Programmes, orientation or induction days, Annual General Meetings (AGMs), class academic clinics or conferences, et cetera. For successful Parental Empowerment and Engagement, Senior Schools should rely on stupendous strategies such as timely and clear communication. Advisedly, consideration of the context of parents and community will be of the essence. For instance, are the parents from a rural or urban setting? Are they single parents? What is their economic status? 

Consequently, Parental Empowerment is the process of empowering parents or guardians with requisite knowledge, skills, attitudes and practices for holistic learning of their children. Some areas that require parental empowerment include: Knowledge of growth and development of children, supporting children to learn both at home and school, helping children make informed career choices, being concerned about behaviour, discipline and character of children. By the same token, Parental Engagement is the active participation of parents in their children’s learning and holistic development in collaboration with teachers and other key stakeholders in the great agora of knowledge. 

Finally, we cannot lock out Learner Open Forums (LOFs) in this deep discourse about LSPs. LOFs strive to foster a sense of belonging and promote effective participation and engagement of learners. It is a ministerial requirement that Senior Schools embrace a well-structured and transparent process for selection and election of the Student Council. This will ensure that there is effective representation of learners in school governance. Ideally, LOFs are a set of opportunities for open dialogue: to encourage learners to express themselves, voice their opinions and address grievances. This is especially true for issues that impact their educational experiences directly. LOFs can be facilitated through open forums, suggestion platforms, and other communication channels that encourage learners to feel that they are heard and valued by Heads of Institutions (HoIs) and teachers.