The Government of Kenya has partnered with the World Bank (WB) to improve student learning and transition from upper primary to secondary education in targeted areas. This objective will be achieved through the implementation of the “Secondary Education Quality Improvement Project (SEQIP) which aims to “improve student learning and transition from Primary to Secondary Education in targeted areas. The project beneficiaries are about 600,000 pupils in upper primary and 600,000 students in secondary from 17,500 and 8,500 primary and secondary schools respectively.

The schools are located in 110 sub-counties from 30 counties that are educationally and economically challenged including those in Arid and Semi-Arid Land (ASAL), urban slums and regions with pockets of poverty. SEQIP has four components namely; improving quality of teaching; improving retention in upper primary and transition from primary to secondary schools. The components will be implemented by the Ministry of Education (MoE), Teachers Service Commission (TSC) and other agencies.

TSC will work through CEMASTEA given its mandate to provide Teacher Professional Development (TPD) to implement the School-Based Teacher Support System (SBTSS) subcomponent of component one on improving the quality of teaching. SBTSS will entail a smart cascade of training where National trainers will train and support County trainers or facilitators during the training of teachers at the cluster level in the targeted counties. A pilot training of facilitators or County trainers was conducted for  Makueni, Machakos and Kajiado counties before being rolled out to other targeted counties This training of facilitators/trainers drew teachers of Mathematics and Science from both the Primary and Secondary sections who will in turn cascade the training in their various counties.

A section of the participants during the Trainers’ Training Programme of SEQIP at CEMASTEA during the Opening Ceremony

The theme of the training was “Enhancing student learning through the use of Effective Learner Centred Teaching and Learning Strategies”.

Speaking during the inaugural launch of the three-day training that ran from October 17-19, 2019 at CEMASTEA, Mr. Ezekiel Tumbo, Assistant Director Quality Assurance and Standards Officer at the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) representing the C.E.O TSC lauded the institution for being a home of quality in continuously developing teachers. He mentioned that the teaching profession in Kenya has made a milestone by adopting teaching standards including:

1. Professionalism - Code of Conduct, Education Act, Constitution and Etiquette
2. Pedagogical Content Knowledge and ability to implement CBC – it also emphasize digital literacy
3. Assessment for learning to improve outcome.
4. Inclusive Education Practice – all the learners must be given equal opportunity to learn
5. Comprehensive school health and safety – guide learners on healthy eating habits
6. Financial LiteracyInstructional Leadership

Mr. Ezekiel Tumbo, Assistant Director Quality Assurance and Standards Officer, TSC

On her part, Dr. Catherine Warui, Assistant Director Quality Assurance and Standards Officer at the TSC and the focal person for SEQIP while speaking to the participants appreciated them for taking the pilot project seriously, emphasised on the use of Technology by the teachers in teaching and learning. She challenged them to be the champions during the rollout of the project.

Dr. Catherine Warui, Assistant Director Quality Assurance and Standards Officer at the TSC and the focal person for SEQIP

Mrs. Lydia Muriithi, Deputy Director CEMASTEA represented the Director in welcoming the participants for the three day training and stated the importance of utilising knowledge and skills learnt for the Kenyan child. She stated that the training offers an opportunity for the teachers to sharpen their skills and encouraged them to be committed to the worthy course of piloting the project and cascading it to the rest of the teachers.

Mrs. Lydia Muriithi, Deputy Director CEMASTEA

While speaking, Mr. Patrick Kogolla, the Coordinator of Training Programmes at CEMASTEA appreciated the participants for attending the training and encouraged them to participate fully in the three day training.

Mr. Patrick Kogolla, Coordinator of training programmes, CEMASTEA

Mr. George Kiruja, Coordinator Primary Training Programme and focal person on SEQIP at CEMASTEA lauded the significant roles the World Bank, MoE, TSC and CEMASTEA, were playing in making the project a success. He explained that upon completion of the training, participants were expected to demonstrate their understanding on: School Based Teacher Support System (SBTSS); Prevailing pedagogical and content knowledge gaps and effective teaching and learning strategies

Mr. George Kiruja, Coordinator Primary Training Programme and the focal person on SEQIP at CEMASTEA

Subject Sessions

Participants were engaged in discussing issues and possible strategies to address the challenges in teaching and learning. They proceeded to design Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL) activities in the digital and non-digital form to help in teaching concepts.

During the subject sessions participants of Science and Mathematics from both the Primary and Secondary sections assembled in different subject groups where they discussed issues and possible strategies addressing the challenges in teaching and learning in their respective schools.

In addition, they designed Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL) activities in digital/non-digital formats to teach concepts, critiqued and developed lesson plans incorporating IBL.

 Secondary

Biology

Trainers’ in Biology education designing Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL) activities in digital and non-digital formats in teaching concepts during the SEQIP training at CEMASTEA

Chemisrty

Trainers’ in Chemistry education designed Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL) activities in digital and non-digital formats in teaching concepts during the SEQIP training at CEMASTEA

Physics

Trainers’ in Physics education designing Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL) activities in digital and non-digital formats in teaching concepts during the SEQIP training at CEMASTEA

Mathematics

Trainers’ in mathematics education designing Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL) activities in digital and non-digital formats in teaching concepts during the SEQIP training at CEMASTEA

Primary Science

Trainers in Science education designing Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL) activities in digital and non-digital formats in teaching concepts during the SEQIP training at CEMASTEA

Primary Mathematics

Trainers in Mathematics education designing Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL) activities in digital and non-digital formats in teaching concepts during the SEQIP training at CEMASTEA

CEMASTEA when giving the way forward to the participants mentioned that an action planning is done to ensure that the practice is sustained in their various schools.

Mr. Joseph Mathenge, Coordinator Field Services, CEMASTEA

Closing Ceremony

The three-day training on School-Based Teacher Support System (SBTSS) drew 109 participants from Makueni, Kajiado and Machakos counties. The participants were equipped with the requisite knowledge and skills to help in smart cascade as trainers of teachers at the cluster level and practitioners at the school level.

A section of the participants during the Trainers’ Training Programme of SEQIP closing ceremony at CEMASTEA

Mr. David Kirui, Deputy Director Quality Assurance and Standards, Ministry of Education (MoE), Department of Early Learning and Basic Education representing Ag. Director Directorate of Project Delivery and Coordination Ministry of Education (MoE), Department of Early Learning and Basic Education who was the chief guest during the closing ceremony told the participants that the activities they were involved in for the three days would impact positively on leaners in their various schools to help the learners improve.

He advised them to support one another to have an impact in the classroom delivery. Mr. Kirui emphasised that the success of the project will be realised on how well the cascade will be done and the impact it will have.

Mr. David Kirui, Deputy Director Quality Assurance and Standards, MoE Department of Early Learning and Basic Education

While speaking to the participants, Mrs. Jacinta L. Akatsa – HSC, Director CEMASTEA congratulated them for working towards serving Kenyan child. “Let it not be business as usual,” said Mrs. Akatsa. She encouraged them to touch the learners’ lives positively.

She emphasised on the need to be more creative and re-engineer teaching to create quality in teaching and learning.

Mrs. Jacinta Akatsa, HSC Director CEMASTEA

Mr. Geoffrey Etyang, Assistant Director Quality Assurance and Standards, TSC who is the focal person on School-Based Teacher Support System (SBTSS) informed the participants of the SEQIP mantra which is “Quality Education, Quality Life” and urged them to be the ambassadors as they implement what they have learnt in the training as it will also form part of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).

He challenged them to improve on the mode of lesson delivery having acquired the necessary knowledge and skills. Mr. Etyang encouraged the participants to be the agents of change. He mentioned three components of SEQIP that includes reducing teacher shortage in schools, Teacher Professional Development (TPD) and Modular School-Based TPD.

Mr. Geoffrey Etyang, Assistant Director Quality Assurance and Standards Officer, TSC

On the other hand, Professor Hellen Inyega, Senior Education Consultant for World Bank while speaking to the participants encouraged them to form a community of practice and informed them that having been equipped will be the game-changers in education.

“We have confidence in you that you are going to implement,” stated Professor Inyega. She expressed her excitement by the level of commitment of the participants for their quest on the content and pedagogical knowledge.

Professor Hellen Inyega, Senior Education Consultant for World Bank

Mr. Patrick Kogolla, Coordinator Training Programmes at CEMASTEA on his part appreciated the participants for their endurance. He mentioned that they have learnt as teachers and they have a task to help other teachers and the learners to also benefit from the same and apply it in teaching and learning.

Mr. Patrick Kogolla, Coordinator Training Programme, CEMASTEA

Mr. George Kiruja, Coordinator Primary Training Programme and the focal person on SEQIP at CEMASTEA advised the participants to adhere to the action plan they came up with and assured them of the support. He mentioned that the whole purpose of the training was to enhance learner-friendly engagement in teaching and learning.

Mr. George Kiruja, Coordinator Primary Training Programme and the focal person on SEQIP at CEMASTEA