Top news items in Kenya's major media outlets

NAIROBI, Dec. 27 (Xinhua) -- The following are the news highlights in Kenya's major media outlets on Wednesday.

-- A Kenyan teachers' union has issued a harsh critique of the new curriculum set to be rolled out next week in nursery and primary schools, describing it as a tragedy to the education system.

In a detailed analysis, the Kenya National Union of Teachers said the Education ministry did not carry out a comprehensive survey of international best practice and that no research was done to prove that a competency-based curriculum is more effective than the current learning-outcome-based framework. (Daily Nation)

-- Kenyan taxpayers may have to pay a staggering 1.8 billion U.S. dollars to compensate early retirees in the public sector, in a planned staff rationalization that is already running a year behind schedule. (The Standard)

-- Police on Tuesday seized a 2.5-kg cocaine haul with a street value of 77,669 dollars and arrested a suspected Venezuelan drug trafficker. (The Star)

-- Cash-rich public traded firms reduced money held in banks by more than 9 million dollars in the past 15 months, showing their reaction to the capping of interest rates, which has diminished returns on deposits. (Business Daily) Enditem