Report of the Curriculum Review Task Force

Abstract

INTRODUCTION The National Resistance Movement vowed to bring about "Fundamental Changes" to this country right from the day it assumed leadership. Chief among its priorities Was the improvement of the quality and affordability of education. For far too long, Ceandans had expressed great concern over the relevance of the prevailing System of Education. Society had expressed much discontent over the failure of the System of Education to reach many of the would be beneficiaries and its failure to deliver the right type of Education to the people who went through it. Education was too theoretical and academic oriented to be of much practical use. The National Resistance Movement appointed an Education Policy Review Commission under the Chairmanship of Prof. Senteza William Kajubi on the 29th July 1987. The Commission submitted its report to Government in 1989 which contained many recommendations that are likely to cause fundamental changes in the system. After studying the Education Policy Review Commission report Government wrote its White Paper in 1992 giving its interpretation and decisions on the recommendations. Government then appointed, on September 8, 1992, & Curricelun Review Task Force to study these decisions and recommendations and recommend to Government possible implementation strategies. The Specific Terms of relevance for the Curriculum Task Force were: 1. To review the education Curriculum in Nursery, Primary, secondary and technical schools/institutes with a view Leentarying weaknesses therein. 2. To formulate National Curriculum that will guide syllabus development according to National Goals and Educational Aims and Objectives. J. To examine ways of improving the quality of education bearing in mind the following: The basic needs of the learner at the appropriate level of education; the concept of an all-round education as well as vocational preparation, and the aim of achieving the highest quality of education for all. To make recommendations to. the Minister of Education and Sports including proposals for any appropriate legislative changes. Following the specific provision in the Terms of reference that the Curriculum Review Task Force was free to clarify and or expand these Terms of Reference, the Task Force took their duties to be: 1.1.1 Supplementing, where necessary, the Education Policy Review Commission Report and the Government White Paper Critical reviews of the current curriculum in Pre-Primary, Primary, Secondary, Technical Schools/Institutes and corresponding Teacher Training Institutions, with a view to crystallising the weaknesses therein. 1.1.2 Initiating and developing the strategy for implementing the curriculum related recommendations which were accepted in the Government White Paper. 1.1.3 Formulating a National Curriculum that will guide syllabus development according to the National and Educational Aims and Objectives. 1.1.4 Examining ways of proving the quality of Education mind the following: i. the basic needs of the learner at the appropriate level of education; (ii) the concept of an all-round education as well as Vocational Preparations; (ii) the need to reconcile the evaluation of Students performance with the curriculum v) the aim of achieving the highest quality of Education for all, and finally, 3.1.5 Making recommendations to the Minister of Education and Sports including proposals for legislative changes.