The first term of the year 2019 is to start tomorrow. It's start will not be without bumps and potholes.
The KNUT has announced a countrywide teachers strike that is to start today. On the same day, activistOkiya Omtatah has filed an application in the High Court seeking to stop the rollout of the 2-6-3-3-3 curriculum to replace the 8-4-4 system.In his application under certificate of urgency, Omtatah says that the Competency based Curriculum is being rushed and rolled out in “an arbitrary, unreasonable and haphazard manner without having been subjected to public participation”.
He said that there is no legal, policy, and regulatory framework governing the implementation of the CBC.
The application dated December 31, 2018 lists the Ministry of Education as first defendant and Attorney General as second.
“There is no legal basis for rolling out the CBC since the Sessional Paper for the CBC has not been published in Parliament for debate and approval,” Omtatah says.
He says that to the extent that the CBC is generally being rolled out in total disregard of provisions of the Constitution, Articles 1, 2, 3( 1 ), and 259( 1 ) were and continue to be violated.
Omtatah said the CBC is being rolled out without public participation as provided in the law.
He says the system was conceptualised and operationalised through “an opaque process shrouded in mystery, without transparency and accountability”.
The activist said that there was and continues to be the general disregard for the rule of law in the manner the system was conceptualised and is being operationalised.
Omtatah said Kenyans will suffer great loss as the application will be overtaken by events, and the Constitution and the rule of law will continue to be violated and or threatened. He says he has a right of access to the constitutional court to protect the Constitution and to safeguard his rights and those of other Kenyans which have been, are being and are in danger of further infringement.
“This Honourable Court has unfettered powers and jurisdiction to make the orders sought,” Omtatah said.He said that the system is being rushed, without adequate preparation and regard for its suitability, the national values of sustainable development. He pointed out that the national government is implementing changes to pre-primary education without involving county governments, which devolves pre-primary education, was violated and continues to be violated.
“I have right of access to the Constitutional Court to protect the Constitution and to safeguard his rights and those of other Kenyans which have been, are being and are in danger of further infringement,” he said. Adding the court has unfettered powers and jurisdiction to make the orders sought.
Last month, the government made a U-turn over the implementation of the new curriculum for PP1, PP2, grades 1,2 and 3.
Education CS Amina Mohamed said the curriculum will be implemented starting this month and not in 2020 as earlier indicated.
Amina had on Tuesday last week said the country is not ready for the new school curriculum.
She said the ministry will roll it out when there are teaching materials, teachers trained, and infrastructure put in place. She said the postponement would allow for more stakeholder consultation
“The design is fantastic. The devil is in the details of implementation. We need to have all the stakeholders on board,” Amina said.
She said poor planning and a hasty roll out led to the failure of the national roll out, which had been planned for this month.
President Uhuru Kenyatta appologiza to the parents for the confusion over the rollout of the new curriculum.
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