A teacher’s union claims the transition to Junior Secondary Schools has failed learners and called for its disbandment.
Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers wants a crisis meeting of stakeholders convened to deliberate the future of JSS and a re-think of its placement.
The meeting, the union said, should bring together teachers, parents’ unions, MPs, ministry of education officials, and professionals to address the emerging transition issue that the union says is “wasting learners”.
The union SG Akello Misori said it’s not too late to take back the learners to secondary school.
“It is common sense that building more classrooms in secondary schools which already have laboratories is more cost-effective than trying to create whole new infrastructure in primary schools,” Misori said.
Misori explained that the proposal to revert the decision should be treated as an urgent matter.
“If we are to return them to secondary schools which are more equipped then we need to do it before the end of Holliday,” he said.
Secretary General Akelo Misori also said the crisis in schools has been brought about by limited learning materials, low capitation funds, unclear teacher management, and low support staff in the schools.
“One and a half months into the transition of the pioneer cohort of the Competency-Based Curriculum, there is no learning taking place in our Junior Secondary Schools,” he said.
Kuppet called for the disbandment of the Presidential Working Party on Education reforms. “Notwithstanding their eminence in society, the PWP has contributed more confusion than a solution in the transition,” Misori said.
The union chair Omboko Milemba said all education stakeholders will be engaged on the matter.
Milemba said the main issue facing the Grade 7 transition is the lack of teachers.
Milemba said the confusion has been precipitated by reports that the Ministry, Presidential Working Party and the TSC are pulling in different directions as learners bear the burden.
“It’s time to take the bull by its horns instead of sitting and burying our heads in the sand when the bodies that are supposed to give direction in education are failing us,” he said.
“We will sit with stakeholders and if worse, we might talk to our teachers and tell them to take some letter with a different payment to teachers Grade 7,” Milemba said.
Milemba who is also Emuhaya MP said no learning has been taking place.
“Students have no teachers, no books so it’s clear we made a mistake,” he said.
