This explainer is all about the various functions of KICD
and its role in Kenya’s evolving education system.
Let’s start with the basics.
What is KICD (Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development)?
KICD (Formerly KIE -Kenya Institute of Education) is Kenya’s
curriculum development hub- they develop syllabuses and approve the curricula
for practically everything that’s taught in Kenya (except Universities).
KICD is a state corporation and gets its mandate from the
K.I.C.D Act No. 4 (2013) of the Kenyan laws.
Besides curriculum development (and review), KICD also
researches and develops support materials for the various curricula in addition
to coming up with policies and other relevant rules.
They also offer consultancy services related to curricula at
both the basic and tertiary levels of education and training.
But what are the specific functions of KICD?
Read on to discover more about what KICD does including
challenges facing KICD.
Functions of KICD: A complete outline
KICD delivers the following services to various parties.
1. Issues advice to the
Government on everything relating to curriculum development
2. Evaluates, vets, and
approves both local and foreign curricula as well as curriculum support
materials for use in Kenya in the various levels of education/training.
3. Implements the relevant
policies pertaining to curriculum development at basic and tertiary levels of
education and training.
4. Crafts, reviews, and
approves curricula, curriculum support materials, and programs that meet
relevant international standards for:
· Early
childhood education, care, and development.
· Pre-primary
education.
· Primary
education.
· Secondary
education.
· Adult,
continuing, as well as non-formal education.
· Teacher
education in Kenya and training.
· Special
needs education.
· TVET
(Technical & vocational education and training).
5. Initiates and carries out
research to inform all curriculum policies, relevant review, and development.
6. Collects documentation and
catalogs information related to curricula, curriculum support, and various
innovations to establish a comprehensive data bank of the same and disseminates
guiding information to Kenya’s educational institutions, learners/students, and
other relevant institutions.
7. Prints, publishes and
distributes information/materials relating to the curricula for basic and
tertiary training/education.
8. Collaborates with other
parties (individuals and institutions) in organizing as well as conducting
professional development projects/programs for teachers, trainers, quality
assurance (and standards) officers and all other officials involved in the
education and training programs on curriculum topics and support materials.
9. Develops, disseminates, and
communicates programs and curricula support materials via mass media,
e-learning (electronic learning), distance learning, and other applicable modes
of delivering educational and training programs/materials
10. Promotes equity and ready access to quality
curricula in addition to curriculum support materials.
11. Promotes the appropriate application of technology
to enhance innovations and the achievement of a knowledge-based economy
12. Offers consultancy services as needed in basic and
tertiary training and education.
13. Incorporates national values, leadership values,
and talent in curriculum development
14. Receives, considers, improves, and reviews any
curriculum proposals.
KICD management and KICD organizational structure
This section looks at the organizational structure of KICD and the management, as headed by the KICD chairperson.
The institute headed by a governing council. Their work is
to offer strategic direction and to supervise the management team.
The latter, led by the director/CEO steers the day-to-day operations
at KICD.
One of their most important duties is to develop guidelines
on critical issues such as the curation of online curriculum content and any
other areas touching on the KICD curriculum development model.
Challenges faced by KICD
Having looked at the structure of KICD, let’s now look at
the problems that the organization grapples with in the process of implementing
the aforementioned functions of KICD.
Overall, KICD faces the following difficulties:
- Late
disbursement of funds
- Lack
of an elaborate planning policy
- Problems
in implementing the published schemes of service for the staff.
- Inadequate
financing.
- Sometimes
they’re unable to retain talented staff.
- Failure
to meet the commitments specified in their client service charter.
- Insufficient
infrastructure (tools & equipment’s).
- Poor
and/or inadequate continuous monitoring of the curriculum delivery.
- Failure
to monitor & evaluate the various KICD policies.
- Lack
of an elaborate communication policy as well as a marketing strategy.
- Slow
and cumbersome procurement procedures.
- Lack
of a clear succession planning policy.
There could be other issues but these are the most dominant.
Functions of KICD: Frequently asked questions(FAQs)
Is KICD a parastatal?
Of course, yes.
KICD is a state corporation charged with the responsibility
of driving the curriculum development process in Kenya and managing the
curriculum review process in Kenya among other functions.
It gets its authority from a host of laws, legal, and policy
documents including:
- The
Constitution of Kenya(2010)
- The
KICD No. 4 (2013)
- The
Basic Education Act (2013)
- The
Copyright Act 2011
- The
Education Act (Cap. 211)
- The
KNEC act (Cap 225 A) of 2013
- The
TSC act 2012 – article 237 of the Kenyan constitution
- The
Technical & Vocational Education & Training Act 2013
- The
State Corporations Act- Cap 446
- Various
Education Sector Reports
- Sessional
paper 14 (2012)
- Kenya
Vision 2030 -MTP 2
- NESP
(National Education Sector Plan) 2013–2018
- Legal
notices:
- 105
(1976)
- 144
(1980)
- 126
(1984)
- 125
(2004)
- 55
(2007)
- 18
(2010)
- 120
(2010)
Also important for internal control and engagement with
various stakeholders are the published KICD regulations and ethics.
These are developed internally and include regulations on:
1. Accreditation of
institutions in Kenya
2. Developing, Evaluation, and
Vetting and eventually the Approval of Non-Formal and Informal Learning
Programs
3. Quality Assurance and standards
KICD direction and Contacts
Offices: Desai Road, Off Muranga Road, Nairobi,
Kenya. (Take any Mat applying Thika road and request to alight at KICD)
Telephone: 020 3749900-9 / 020 3749900-3 /0729
327 334 /0787 883 311
Email: info@kicd.ac.ke
Website: https://kicd.ac.ke/
Wrapping it up
As you have seen, among the core functions of KICD is
overseeing all the stages of curriculum development in Kenya and conducting
continuous curriculum development research.
That means KICD is the right body to channel any questions
on CBC curriculum together with stakeholders like the ministry of education and
the active examination bodies in Kenya.
They also disseminate information about all matters relating to curriculum research, development, and support materials through online and electronic media such as the KICD Edu channel.