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Tag: education

  • Daystar to Retain Online Classes in January 2021

    By: Sumaya Hussein (husseinsumaya1@gmail.com)

    Thumbnail photo courtesy of Daystar University

    Daystar University will continue administering classes online, as a few physical classes will be taking place in the campuses come January 2021.

    In an email sent to the school on Monday, only nursing students, science students and those admitted during the October 2020 physical semester will start face to face learning in January 2021.

    Other courses, according to the email, are to continue with online learning.

    “Save for the programs outlined above, all other undergraduate, certificate and Diploma students will remain online,” read the email.

    All continuing postgraduate students taking PGDE, Master’s and PhD programmes, as well as new postgraduate students from October 2020 and January 2021, will study online as well.

    Students to start physical classes in January include; all nursing students admitted in 2020 and January 2021, all undergraduate students admitted to the October 2020 physical semester, all law students admitted in August 2020 and January 2021, will have physical classes at the Athi River Campus.

    Photo courtesy of Laguma

    For continuing students, all nursing students admitted in 2018 and 2019 will continue with their clinical placements. All Upgrade Nursing students admitted in 2020 and 2021, will have physical theory classes at the Nairobi campus.

    All students taking Biomedical Science, Environmental Heath, Actuarial Science, Applied Computer Science and Bachelor of Education Science (B.Ed Science), will have physical classes at the Athi River campus.

    The 15% fee discount previously offered for online classes has been discontinued due to the government suspension of all tax waivers.

    Physical orientation for new students is set to begin on January 4, 2021.

    The University Portal will be opened for registration of courses on January 4, 2021 once the timetable has been released. Both physical and online classes will begin on January 11, 2021.

  • President Kenyatta Orders all schools reopen in January 2021

    By Sumaya Hussein (husseinsumaya1@gmail.com)

    Thumbnail photo courtesy of PSCU


    President Uhuru Kenyatta has directed that all schools reopen in January 2021 as the country continues battling the COVID-19 pandemic.


    The Head of State instructed that the Interior Ministry, through all Chiefs and Assistant Chiefs to ensure that all students report to school at the beginning of next year.
    “We remain on course for the resumption of learning in all classes effective the 4th of January 2021, with the safety of our learners being our top priority,” said President Kenyatta during Jamhuri Day celebrations at Nyayo Stadium.
    “In that regard, and in line with the policy of the Government on universal and compulsory basic education for all children up to 18 years, all parents and guardians are required to facilitate their children to resume learning in January 2021,” added President Kenyatta.

    President Uhuru Kenyatta inspects a guard of honour mounted by the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) upon arrival at the Nyayo Stadium for Jamhuri Day celebrations. Photo courtesy of PSCU

    The Ministry of Education in consultation with the Health Ministry has developed sector-specific protocols and guidelines to facilitate the reopening of all learning institution.


    The President added that the Ministry of Education shall receive reports from all primary and secondary schools on the identity and details of any student who shall not report to school.
    He also directed that the Education Ministry facilitate the resumption of learning for all learners who had dropped out of school due to pregnancy.
    “That the Ministry of Education shall re-issue and publicize the Education Policy on School Re-Entry, so as to facilitate the re-admission of all those who may not be able to report back due to pregnancies,” said the President. Even with the pandemic, the Head of State assured that no learner will be left behind.


    All schools in Kenya will reopen next month after nine months of closure due to the coronavirus pandemic. The government had already begun phased reopening of Grade 4, Class 8 and Form 4 students returning to school on October 12, 2020.


    Last week, the National Council Churches of Kenya (NCCK) called on the government to review the planned re-opening of all schools citing the recent surge of COVID-19 cases in the country.
    NCCK General Secretary Canon Chris Kinyanjui cautioned the situation risks the lives of teachers, students and parents.
    “We propose that the decision that all learners will resume in-school learning on January 5, 2021, be reviewed and proper measures be put in place to avoid a surge in new infections,” Kinyanjui said last week.

  • Low turnout Plagues ECD Voter Education

    By Andrew E. K. Maina
    kimemia.maina@gmail.com

    Extremely low voter turnout marked both days of of the voter sensitization training held by the Electoral Commission of Daystar (ECD). the training 14th and 15th of October in Athi River and on the 14th in Valley Road Campuses of Daystar University.

    Less than 30 people showed up for the each of the two days activity in the Amphitheatre of Athi River campus, with even lower numbers said to have participated in Valley Road.

    “The turnout was really really low. But it happens.” Clifford Kabo, an ECD commissioner for Athi River Campus said at the end of the Athi training exercise. “For us, we did our part and for those that didn’t come, we will try to send them illustrations or tutorials on how to do the voting.”

    The training exercise was intended to educate student voters in the DUSA on the new voting structures for the newly introduced DUSA Congress, and how the Congress will establish an electoral college to elect the DUSA council.

    However, there seems to have been very little awareness or interest on the part of Daystar students in the process. The Training sessions were conducted by various ECD officials, with ECD Vice-Chair Faith Riungu, ECD Chief Executive Officer, Consul Simiyu, and Athi River Commissioners Kabo Clifford and Martin Mugendi present on the second day of the Athi River exercise.

    “I expected more people to come because we are learning about voting.” Nick Keyu, a Communication Studies student in Athi River said. I don’t know much about it (the voter education exercise) myself, but I would attend another one,” he added.

    The training exercise was also intended to double up as an introduction to a new electronic voting system which will be used by students to select their representatives on the DUSA Congress.

  • New Education System: Competence over Competition

    By Aaron Kituku.
    (kaykituku@gmail.com)

    A weekend at home gave me a glimpse of what the competency-based curriculum (CBC) is all about. If skill-set is the focus of this shift in academia, then this is a blessing in disguise.

    Pupils from Rock school in Nairobi were cleaning the streets with improvised brooms, aprons, and wheelbarrows on September 5th during a class project in the new curriculum. Apart from the adorable scene of these children sweeping, the direction the new system is taking is impressive.

    The 2-6-6-3 curriculum is replacing the old, exam-oriented system, 8-4-4, which was adopted in 1985. Contrary to the traditional education system, the competency-based curriculum advocates for a progressive assessment rather than a single event of an exam, which, whether a student passes or fails, the class will move forward through to new material and assume that students will figure out concepts as the study progresses.

    As some might argue that CBC is not encouraging competition, well that’s the idea; it is mastery or proficiency-based kind of learning.

    Opposed to studying piles of notes before an exam regardless of whether you understand or not, the new system emphasizes on whether or not a student is demonstrating well-defined competencies. That is knowledge applied. That is true learning.

    Just 2 years ago I was helping my brother do his homework in math’s, science and the like, this weekend was different. Shaping a car model from a box, curving out windows and doors was his take-home. It was fun, physically engaging and a provoked creativity. At grade 2, the child is already introduced to basic literacy and numeracy skills, appropriated communication, creativity and critical thinking, hygiene, digital literacy skills, emotional, physical and spiritual development among others.

    This is not just an improvement of the 8-4-4 system, it is a complete shift in academia whereby the trainees advance after they have demonstrated proficiency in carefully defined learning areas. That is to mean that if you get over the bar faster, the shorter you take in going through the system.

    “We shall ensure that we have now 100 percent transition from primary through to secondary school.” Said President Uhuru Kenyatta during the 3rd National conference on curriculum reforms.

    Equality of learning is probably the most important detail of the new system. It accommodates Individuals who would not thrive in a traditional class. It stresses training on a person’s natural inclinations. The system has flattened the playing field for all learners.