Kenya Project Blog Post 3

Today I thought that it would be useful to begin providing some context in relation to the education system in Kenya that those students, fortunate enough to be selected on next summer’s trip, will see at first hand.

I therefore share this link – Kenya School Reform – is for an article from earlier this year that reflects on a new competence based curriculum that has similarities with what is currently happening in Wales.  But when reading this article we need to be careful because this is one person’s opinion and the truth may well be different in some areas.

Next summer we will be visiting a primary school – covering the 8 years from age 4 to 11 – where the Kenyan Government appoints and employs teachers based on the numbers of pupils in the school and an agreed class size – which I believe is around 50 pupils per class.  I am told that, with our help, the 2 additional teachers that we fund has resulted in this number reducing to 35 pupils per class – and as such this has improved the teaching and learning experience for all of the pupils.

And with the new curriculum aiming to be both learner centred and to encourage both innovation and creativity, I am hoping that next summer the College team visiting Kenya will get the opportunity to play a role in the pupils learning in some way.

Mark Jones,
Principal