Uhuru Signs Into Law Education Curriculum Changes

President Uhuru Kenyatta has assented into law the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (Amendment) Bill of 2019.

The Head of State approved the bill on Thursday, May 28, at State House, Nairobi. 

The new law mandates KICD to incorporate personal safety and psychosocial skills training in the curricula for basic and tertiary institutions.

President Uhuru Kenyatta shares a light moment with high school students on August 12, 2016, at State House, Nairobi.
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The act will also enhance the country's disaster preparedness in learning institutions through development of occupational safety programmes, which are specially designed for students and the society in general. 

It will also incorporate psychosocial skills and services to students to help them better deal with psychological or emotional problems.

These courses will be undertaken studied in all learning institutions in Kenya, from Early Childhood, Primary and Secondary schools to Universities, Colleges and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVETs).

The past school curricula did not provide the learners with education on safety, particularly on how to conduct security drills, evacuation and first aid.

The students are also not equipped on how to locate explosives, how to sense danger, among other safety-related teachings.

These changes in the curriculum come at a time Kenya has been grappling with several disasters, including floods, terrorism and the Coronavirus outbreak.

As at Thursday, May 28, Kenya had recorded 1,618 Coronavirus cases, with 58 fatalities, as the country continues to lay structures for fighting the pandemic. The structures include mass testing, upgrading isolation centres and mass education on how to protect oneself and prevent the spread of the disease. 

Devolution CS Eugene Wamalwa on Wednesday, May 6, 2020, revealed that 194 people had succumbed in the course of the heavy rains which caused ravaging floods and also poised a threat of cholera outbreak.