A teacher guides a pupil during a lesson. The government says 2.8 million class 1 and 2 pupils have benefitted from free mathematics textbooks. [Photo/Capital FM]

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The government has for the last three years, distributed 6 million Mathematics textbooks to Public Primary Schools across the country, the Director for Programmes, the director for Projects, Coordination and Delivery, Mr. Elyas Abdi has said. 

Mr. Abdi said the textbooks had benefited 2.8million children in Class I and 2, noting that it was part of the government's initiative to improve the development of numeracy skills in the early years of learners.

The Director was speaking on the sidelines of a Workshop to review the progress made in the implementation of the Kenya Primary Education Development Project (PRIEDE) in a Naivasha Hotel.

The workshop participants comprised of Regional Coordinators of Education, County Directors of Education, District Accountants and County Project Coordinators from across the country.

Mr. Abdi said the 100,000 teachers in class one to three have benefited from training which aimed at imparting new methodologies of early grade mathematics instruction through improved in-service training and regular pedagogical supervision and support.

He said the government sought to give support to teachers and provide textbooks as a strategy to improve educational outcomes innumeracy.

He said numeracy skills provided a strong foundation for subsequent learning at higher levels, besides enabling learners to cope with the environment.

The numeracy initiative is being conducted under the Kenya Primary Education Development Project (PRIEDE) which is being undertaken by the Ministry of Education.

This follows an award a grant of $ 88.4M (approximately Ks8.84 billion) by the Global Partnership for Education (GPE).The four-year project, which is in its third year, is under the supervision of the World Bank. 

It seeks to address which has challenges which have previously affected early grade mathematics primary school education.

Mr. Abdi said that 4,000 Primary Schools whose KCPE performance in 2012 was dismal had benefited through Strengthening Primary school management systems that underline effective and effective curriculum management and delivery.

He said the implementation of the PRIEDE project had led to improved numeracy skills apart from influencing Government policy on the model of textbooks to schools.

The Director pointed out that the Government was keen to ensure that school-age children get a quality education once in school.

He said the government in conjunction with World Bank, is the process of implementing Shs.20billion Secondary education Quality Project (SEQIP), to ensure the provision of quality secondary education experience for learners 30 Counties which will cover 110 Sub-counties in the targeted Counties.

He said improvements of quality of teaching in targeted areas and improvement of retention in upper primary and transition to secondary schools will be an important component of the project.

Support for the implementation of the proposed competency-based curriculum (CBC) and support for the review of assessment and examinations by the Kenya National Examinations Council is also an important aspect of the project.

Mr. Abdi said that development of infrastructures such as laboratories, classrooms, and a library will also be part of the effort to improve educational outcomes in secondary schools, besides teacher management and development.

He said the investments in education aimed at among others, to improve learning outcomes and get people who can drive vision 2030 and the future stability and prosperity of the country now and in future.