Private Institutions have every reason to smile after the ministry of Education approved some that complied with the ministry’s requirements back to running their programs after inspections and follow-up activities. In an Exclusive Interview with The Weekly Vision on Monday 17th Oct. 2022 in his office, West Kenya College director Omar Mabonga applauded the Ministry of Education for approving private colleges and giving them an Okay to continue providing services.
Mabonga argues that the re-registration of private institutions helps in streamlining education in the private sector, asking all the colleges that were approved to follow the ministry’s guidelines to ensure that they produce professionals who fit the job market.
Mr Mabonga argues the long approval stand-off by the ministry of education affected all the private institutions in the Country where some have been shut down adding that before the approval inspections were done and many follow-up activities by officials from the ministry. “We have gone through many challenges since the government decided to change the curriculum. It is the private institutions that were affected,” Mabonga added.
However, Mabonga lauded the ministry of education for approving his college after a tough re-registration procedure calling on the new Education Cabinet Secretary to streamline the ministry. “We have a lot of expectations from our new Education CS because we want the ministry to be streamlined so that everybody is enjoying, let not the guidelines press others,” he said.
He called on the CBC task force to involve all stakeholders while reviewing the CBC curriculum adding that CBC is a good program that is only to be improved and implemented in Kenya.
“Competency-based curriculum is the best curriculum ever. The only thing that needs to be done is to review it and improve where necessary but most important is to remove the burden from parents,” he said. He argues that for the ministry to achieve one hundred per cent transition the CBC challenges should be addressed.
He pointed out that the ministry has approved West Kenya College in Kanduyi Constituency to offer Primary Teacher Education and Diploma in ECDE training. “The government has opened opportunities for all prospective learners who want to join the teaching fraternity and attain knowledge, doors are open for you all,” he said.
He affirmed that private colleges collaborate with both private and public Universities to give avenues for students who intend to upgrade to degree levels. He added that the ministry has also granted an okay to the approved colleges to offer upgrading programs for the teachers who had already trained for 9 Months. On the NG-CDF, Mabonga said that the kitty should not be scrapped as it supports many students to access education.
“Those saying that NG-CDF is operating unconstitutionally should think twice that the kitty has supported many learners from poor backgrounds access to education, if this is scrapped then an alternative avenue should be put in place,” he said.
He affirmed that the college is ready to adopt the CBC curriculum after review and rectification by the task force.
