África

Teachers want the new school curriculum to address child rights, drug abuse, integrity and security.

According to a needs assessment report released last week, teachers also want environmental issues, technology, gender issues and financial literacy be part of the syllabus.

In addition, the teachers are rooting for the introduction of continuous assessment tests as opposed to end of term examinations.

«Parents, learners and other stakeholders have emphasised the need for provision of basics – classrooms, course books, toilets, teaching aids and playing, games, music and drama materials that enable learners to relax.

«They have also emphasised equal distribution of resources that would facilitate a more practical approach to learning, especially for special needs education learners,» says the report compiled by the Kenya Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD).

Modern teaching approaches

Teachers in secondary schools prefer modern teaching approaches that include; discussions, experiments, brainstorming and demonstrations.

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They have also called for the introduction of practical subjects such as Home Science, Art and Craft, Agriculture and Woodwork, early specialisation and the separation of English Language from Literature in English.

«At tertiary level, teacher trainees want more time spent on teaching methods instead of theory, time for teaching practice to be increased and enough time for preparation and making of teaching resources,» the report adds.

In primary schools, respondents emphasise practical-oriented learning areas citing Home Science, Art and Craft, Music, Drama, Agriculture, foreign languages like French, German, Chinese and Spanish.

Those in the special needs category are calling for more vocational institutions to give skills such as beadwork, hairdressing, beauty therapy and agriculture for learners who may not be good in academic subjects.

«Kenyans have proposed a curriculum that considers the ages and developmental stages of learners at all levels, that allows transition of all pupils from primary to secondary, and that offers several pathways to learners after secondary school,» states the report, which generated data using questionnaires, interviews, focused group discussions, memoranda and analysis of other relevant documents.