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HOCEN officials Rolex Ong’ute and Julius Omuga during the sensitisation at Osodo Primary School in Suba North constituency on Monday /ROBERT OMOLLO

An organisation in Homa Bay has partnered with the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development to sensitise parents on pathways of the Competency-Based Curriculum.

Homa Bay County Education Network (HOCEN) is engaging parents in primary schools in the county to enable them to understand what CBC entails.

HOCEN officials Rolex Ong’ute (member) and Julius Omuga (coordinator) said they realised that many parents still don’t know where their children would transcend to after Grade 9.

The Ministry of Education started executing the new curriculum in the country in 2019. The curriculum is different from the 8-4-4 system of education which many parents had knowledge about.

Ong’ute said they are visiting school communities to bridge the gap between the CBC that parents know and that of learners.

“Parental engagement is required in the implementation of the CBC. We’re explaining the pathways of the new CBC to parents and children for their understanding during transition,” Ong’ute said.

Speaking when they took the initiative to Osodo Primary School in Suba North constituency, the educationists said the current Grade 9 in the junior secondary school will move to senior secondary school which consists of Grade 10, Grade 11 and Grade 12.

The main pathways are Arts & Sports Science, Social Sciences and Science, Technology, Engineering &Mathematics (STEM).

Schools for transition have been categorised in accordance with Performance Assessment which consists of Internal Feedback (formative 40 per cent) and External Feedback –KJSEA (summative 60 per cent).

Before transition, the government through the Kenya National Examination Council will provide a questionnaire for learners and check for slots (schools) available for placement.

There will also be special consideration, equity and inclusivity and geographical and regional balance.

Omuga urged parents to respond by attending such meetings whenever they are called upon. The team distributed the CBC pathways fliers to the parents for reference.

“The meetings are beneficial to both parents and learners. All education stakeholders are required to be brought on board for a successful implementation of the new system,” he said.

Osodo Primary School head teacher Melen Nyaboke asked the parents to support them by providing their children with the necessary materials for learning.

She argued the CBC programme is mostly practical works and there is a need for parents to support their children when called upon.

“Learners are required to buy assessment books for keeping performance records. We’re appealing to the parents to help us implement the CBC effectively,” Nyaboke said.

Parents Eunice Adhiambo and Isaiah Ambogo said the meeting has enabled them to have knowledge on the new system of education.

“We have learnt different pathways of CBC which will enable us to place my child in senior secondary school. At least I have a glimpse of what CBC entails,” Adhiambo said.