Measures For Grade 7 JSS Schools Approval
Some primary schools don’t meet the required criteria to host Grade Six students in Junior Secondary (JSS).
This was discovered during the ongoing assessment of the suitability of the schools to host JSS by a multi-agency team comprised of officials from the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Interior, and Teachers Service Commission (TSC).
The Ministry of Education has set January 30 as the day for students transitioning from Grade 6 (primary) to Grade 7 (Junior Secondary) to resume their studies under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).
The government provided a checklist of rules for those primary schools applying to host JS wings.
“The assessment considers, among other factors, whether the respective school has adequate land to host the Junior Secondary School level; availability of buildings to be used as classrooms and laboratories; and whether the school has adequate water and powersupply.” Machogu said on Monday during the release of Form one placements.
Schools are required to provide evidence of sufficient land with valid ownership documents, as well as approvals from the County Government, National Construction Authority, and National Environment Management Authority, where applicable, along with a Certificate of Completion, Certificate of Occupancy, and a Certificate of Completion. Site plan approval – NEMA report
A thorough report on the results of the task force is due to be given to the Director General Education on January 23, detailing each institution’s preparation and recommended Junior Secondary feeder schools, the distance and capacity of the nearest primary school.
KUPPET Secretary General, Akelo Misori stated that as much as the government directed junior secondary to be domiciled in primary schools, it will not be a walk in the park.
‘’We suggested that secondary schools are better placed to host the JS learners. High schools have the required infrastructures and personnel to handle the classes as compared to the primary schools,’’ Misori said.
‘’If it took the government one full year to construct only 10,000 classrooms across the country, how do you expect to have 48,000 classrooms and laboratories in all our public primary schools for the opening in two weeks.’’
However, President William Ruto promised parents that all will be okay before the beginning of first term.
He pledged to work closely with schools to ensure that each primary school has one classroom and laboratories.
Titus Khamala, a member of parliament from the constituency of Lurambi, remarked that it would be impossible for lawmakers to promote the creation of infrastructure in all primary schools.
‘‘In terms of CBC, we are still in the woods because MPs have priorities. I have no plans of starting any new project unless I complete everything that I began,’’ Khamala said, adding that starting other projects will lead to many stalling.
Schools Underfunded During the 18th Annual General Meeting of the Kenya Primary School Head Teachers Association (KEPSHA), Johnson Nzioka, the association’s chairman, lauded the domiciling of junior secondary in primary schools. However, he cautioned that, for a smooth takeoff, this will have financial repercussions.
“It is a fact that public primary schools have been underfunded over the years. Therefore, we expect that by the end of this conference, we will hear an increase in funding through the capitation,” Nzioka said.
Measures For Grade 7 JSS Schools Approval
