Junior Secondary Schools Inspection Ongoing
The Ministry of Education has started the process of identifying primary schools that will house junior secondary schools.
As a result of the Education Working Committee’s recommendation that junior secondary schools be housed in primary schools, a statewide inspection of primary schools has started to assess the level of readiness of junior secondary schools.
The ministry has devised a criterion for selecting the schools that will serve as junior secondary campuses, and yesterday the exercise started at the county level.
When schools resume on January 23, 2023, at least 34,500 students will advance from sixth grade to seventh grade in their previous elementary schools. There are 12,592 students from public schools and 20,000 students from private schools.
Before permitting any institution to admit seventh-grade students, education stakeholders will conduct an inspection to determine the qualifications of the teaching staff, the number of students enrolled, and the facilities available.
Tuesday in Mombasa, County Director of Education Peter Magiri told the media that a committee consisting of various education stakeholders, including the Teacher Service Commission (TSC), Directors of Education, and National Government Administration Officers (NGAO), is touring schools to check their infrastructure, conduct a headcount of their teachers, and ascertain their qualifications.
Magiri stated that the Cabinet Secretary for Education, through the Department of Quality Assurance, has released an assessment instrument that would be utilized by the officers visiting the institutions to check all of the specified factors.
According to him, all schools will be inspected so that education officials may collect all the necessary information, enrollment being the most important.
“Enrollment is the most significant factor, followed by the physical facility’s ability to accommodate extra classes and playground area, as we all know that the new curriculum is heavily focused on activities,” he stated.
He said that they will also take into account the amount of teachers and their required certifications.
“In junior secondary schools, we are looking at the content and not just the placement. This one is a separate entity in the school and all these details will be captured before schools reopen as we make our report,” he added.
He stated that they will be particularly keen in the teaching staff of private schools; unqualified teachers will not be approved.
In the event that some schools do not match the prerequisites for a junior high school, they will be designated as feeder schools, as the government is extremely vigilant in all areas and parameters, he said.
Magiri stated that the ministry has implemented measures to ensure the quality of education in the nation so that every child receives an excellent education.
Until they receive a clear statement from the government regarding the placement of their children, he asked parents to refrain from being duped by con artists into learning school uniforms from any institution.
He stated that there is no school that has been awarded permission to operate a junior high school as of yet because the process has just begun.
In a process to develop a disciplined framework for the transition to junior secondary school, the government has initiated a nationwide retooling of trainers of trainers and teachers on how to begin junior secondary education in advance of school reopening and enrollment.
“Textbooks to be used for junior secondary education are ready awaiting distribution once placement of students is done,” said Magiri.
Junior Secondary Schools Inspection Ongoing
