KICD commits to set up new resource centre to boost CBC

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The Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) has committed to completing its Educational Resource Centre (ERC) that is expected to play a critical role in the rollout of the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) by giving the institute’s researchers adequate room to model, test and refine instructional strategies.

These include strategies for the delivery of newly introduced subjects such as aviation and marine sciences.

“Before my term as Chairman of KICD Council ends, I want to see the ERC completed. We have done what was needed of us as Council and now I look forward to have the centre operational. I do not want to leave the project that has taken 15 years incomplete. I am not known to start a project and stop without seeing it through to completion,” said Prof Simon Gicharu, KICD Chairman.

He spoke on Monday when KICD unveiled new human resource assessment tools that are aimed at tightening professional standards within the education sector.

The ERC, he said, is expected to enable KICD to expand its capability for the effective implementation of CBC.

KICD last year said it would spend Sh400 million in moving the project forward and complete the first of six phases.

Construction of the ERC, which is being put up at KICD’s headquarters on Muranga Road, was started in 2011 and was expected to be completed within four years, but a lack of funds stalled the project for one and a half decades.

The additional space that will result from the operationalisation of ERC will give KICD researchers and curriculum specialists room to develop and test new ideas and concepts that are required for the delivery of CBC.

Among these are how to embed new fields of study in CBC, such as aviation and marine sciences.

Prof Gcharu noted that schools should not deem teaching fields such as aviation and marine science as difficult, noting that technology has eased the teaching of these subjects that have largely been a preserve of a few institutions.

“Simulation, even in our phones, can be able to help learners understand how planes operate… I want to see the simulation being applied in our ERC centre so that we can be able to live during our times,” he said.

KICD Council members had earlier this year been on a tour of the Mount Kenya University's Malindi Maritime Academy, where they saw the use of a maritime simulator in training.

“During these digital times, we don't need to really carry decommissioned planes and ships to be able to teach aviation and marine sciences,” said Prof Gicharu.

Prof Charles Ong'ondo, KICD chief executive officer, the ERC would be functional in the coming months, adding that adequate resources had been committed to operationalise the first phase of the project.

“A lot of work is going on at the ERC. We shall make sure that the first three floors are functional. This Council will go down in history as the Council that ensures a building that had stalled for over 20 years is active and performing the role that it was meant to do,” he said.

At the launch of the human resource assessment tools on Monday, top officials from KICD said the new policies are aimed at tightening professional standards within the education sector.

The Institute launched three Human Resource Management and Governance Instruments, which are Career Guidelines, Human Resource Policies and Procedures Manual and the Organisational Structure and Staff Establishment.

Prof Gicharu said the new instruments represent a strategic pivot toward modernising the workforce that drives Kenya's educational reforms

He also noted that the new policies opened up growth for many employees of KICD, including diploma holders, who had been locked out of the career progression path.

“The review of the Instruments took cognisance of the prevailing situation at the Institute. For instance, the review addressed the issue of stagnation. The career ladder for a number of careers has been opened up,” he said.

“For instance, diploma holders will now have a chance of going all through from the entry point at KICD Grade nine KICD Grade 5, which is a Principal officer level. Previously, Diploma holders had only one move under the Common Establishment framework. This is a game changer.”

“The Council will continuously use the Instruments to enhance the Human Resource capacity of the Institute. Indeed, over the last year, a number of staff serving under Common Establishment have been promoted, while others have also been promoted to higher grades through competitive interviews.”

Prof Ong’ondo hailed the policy as one of a kind, noting they are approved by the Public Service Commission (PSC).

These instruments will give us the direction to take the institute inline with our strategic plan,” he said, further explaining that the new policy offers clarity in terms of staff joining levels and progression from one job grade to another, the qualifications that one needs to join a job group and also ensures fairness in hiring and staff promotion.

“I sit on other boards, and I can assure you that this is one of the most prospective HR instruments in the history of parastatals in this country,” he said.