Relevant curriculum prepares learners for life in their specific local environments and beyond. Given the dynamic nature of life, curriculum relevance is relative depending on the people, circumstances, and resource endowment. This truism justifies curriculum changes that have been experienced in Kenya since pre-literate times. During the pre-literate period and before the coming of Europeans, education was informal with sets of learning programmes for young people that ensured appropriate education which was vocation-specific, closely linked to social life, and communal in approach. With the presence of Europeans, education was formalized with a simple school curriculum comprising religious education, industrial training and agriculture including reading and writing with English and Kiswahili as languages of education. During that time, there were various education commission reports which provided direction for education then. After independence in 1963, the school curriculum was overhauled following the recommendations of the Ominde Commission Report of 1964, which emphasized that the education system should be viewed and organized as an instrument for promoting national development through manpower development. With this recommendation in focus, the school curriculum was unified and re-focused to meet this goal. Subsequently, there have been other education commission reports that have influenced curriculum change directions aimed at providing relevant curriculum for Kenyans. It is argued that such curriculum changes should be guided by sound curriculum development practices. Relevant curriculum for Kenya should be such that learners of varying intellectual capabilities, interests and backgrounds are appropriately empowered to realize their potential and facilitate their contribution to development.

CHAIRMAN:  PROF. RICHARD K. MIBEY, FWIF, EBS
                              Vice-Chancellor, Moi University

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