The Government is trying out a new learning model in a bid to rescue students holed up at their homes amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has directed all teachers to submit details of their current locations and immediately first-track teaching the students living nearby under the community-based learning programme.
The TSC Chief Executive Officer Nancy Macharia, stated in circular released recently that the teachers registered with the body will be expected to deliver their duties without charging parents or guardians of the school going youngsters, with effect from August 12 until further notice.
The commission also reached out to regional and county directors to see through the registration of teachers under the programme as soon as possible. Heads of schools who shared insight on the latter issue will be expected to report to their respective schools at least once a week for monitoring and evaluation. This means it is highly likely the institutions will be used as learning centers as most villages and estates do not have facilities to coordinate this kind of learning.
Following the Ministry of Health guidelines, teachers will be expected to set up face-to-face learning programmes for students and to engage not more than 15 students at least 4 hours per day. Overally they will be required to develop daily activity-based programmes that will touch on life skills and values to keep learners occupied.
Moreover, the education barons will be expected to utilize available television, radio and online content to keep their learners afloat and to make the experience as interactive as possible. This development will be a major reprieve for parents who have been struggling to keep their children engaged since closure of schools in March, following the outbreak of the Corona Virus Disease ( COVID-19) .
