Members of the Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms (PWPER) conducted a three-day orientation on the currents and essentials of education reform initiatives in Kenya and the world at large.
The ceremony was held at the Nairobi Centre for Mathematics, Science and Technology in Africa (CEMASTEA).
Prof Raphael Munavu’s 49-member team was given the task of investigating education reforms and making necessary recommendations to the government at the end of six months.
Prof Munavu asked members of the task force to be objective when listening to views that Kenyans will present to them during the public hearings on educational issues that will be conducted across the country.
“Public engagement means listening to the citizens,” Munavu said.
He added that education has the potential to transform the socioeconomic fortunes of a country.
He stressed the importance of ensuring the credibility of the information and documents gathered or received to make it easier when writing a comprehensive report.
“As we craft the report, look at the global regional and national contexts,” said Munavu. He added that the recommendations given should be as bold and objective as possible.
Munavu said that quality education for individuals and societies is the only key to gaining friends and influencing others.
Take education and use it to transform people,” said Munavu.
Munavu informed the task force that they now have the opportunity of transforming education in ways that will make Kenya stand out.
The Head of State established the PWPER last month and tasked it with reviewing education reforms and making recommendations to the government.
The 49-member team was tasked with evaluating the country’s education system and recommending appropriate structures for implementing the new Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).
According to a gazette notice dated the 29th of September, the Party is expected to study all laws governing the basic education subsector and make recommendations for reviewing these legislations with a view to addressing duplication, ambiguities, efficiency constraints and improving linkages.
The PWPER will also carry out a review and recommend equitable access to education, especially for those facing social, economic and geographic marginalization, vulnerable populations, children and persons with special needs.
The working party is also expected to furnish the Head of State with a progress report every two months from the date and submit a final report at the end of the term.
On tertiary and university education, the President has tasked the team to review and recommend a governance and financing framework for TVET training and development, university education, research and training; framework for TVET training and development, university education, research and training.
The taskforce will also recommend a framework for operationalizing the National Open University of Kenya and a framework on Open, Distance and E-Line learning (ODEL), making recommendations for streamlining continuity in TVET and university education transition.
The team was given powers to invite and consider views from sector stakeholders and members of the public, hold meetings in the places and consider necessary for the proper discharge of its functions, and regulate its own procedure.