After the presidential directive that junior secondary school will be domiciled in primary schools, the tables have turned and the four years of preparation have turned into a last minute haste to steer the CBC in a new direction.
The next three weeks will be crucial on how the junior secondary will operate in primary schools.
The directive simply put means there will be no outward transition as it was expected in January from primary to secondary school.
Rather, the learners will reopen school as usual and proceed to the next class.
This comes as a relief to parents with children in the pioneer class of the CBC who will not need to rush or cough up money to meet new admission requirements.
However, on the other hand the directive leaves transition plans in complete grey areas with no certainty on how the JSS will really operate.
It is only until March that Kenyans will for sure find out what the schools will look like when the presidential working group presents its final report and recommendations to the President.
In the meantime, how learners in junior secondary will be different from those in Primary remains uncertain. Will schools opt for different uniforms for the JSS pioneer class, or will the JSS will be administered by the current head teachers in primary school?
Also unclear is the qualification for teachers who will teach JSS.
Previous arrangement—when the plan was to have JSS in secondary schools—was to have teacher with qualification to teach secondary school handle the JSS.
TSC had even inducted 70,000 teachers who would handle the learners.
With the new directive, TSC could be forced to relook the qualification for teachers to teach JSS, and if this will now open a window for primary school teachers to teach in junior secondary.
TSC will also be forced to induct another set of teachers before January when schools reopen.
It is also not certain the amount of money the government will provide per child for JSS.
Under the 8-4-4 system, the government provides Sh1,420 for learners while in secondary school the amount is Sh22,244.
In the directive by the President, every school should get at least an extra classroom and a laboratory.
“Labs to be given priority and will be done in the next one year,” the directive reads.
Also as a mitigation measure in the meantime, secondary schools near primary schools have been instructed to share some of the learning facilities such as labs.
The directive will be a relief for secondary schools that were anticipating a double intake in January.
The number of students in the institutions was projected to grow to about five million and risked overruning the limited resources.
Primary schools currently hold close of 10 million learners.
But, the growth in population will also mean the need for more resources in institutions that have been underfunded, and some would even argue neglected over the years.
Assuming learners in JSS will get the same capitation as those in secondary school, this will mean primary schools will get an extra Sh27 billion to cater for the CBC pioneer class.
Kenya Primary Schools Heads Association chairman Johnson Nzioka suggested that the capitation to primary schools be reviewed to ensure a smooth transition.
He said the amount currently provided is not enough to meet school operations.
“The government has not reviewed the capitation to primary school since 2003 when the Mwai Kibaki- led government launched Free Primary Education,” he said.
“That is certainly not enough to schools now, let alone if we talk about JSS.”
Elimu Yetu national coordinator Joseph Wasikhongo on Tuesday questioned the government’s preparedness for the transition.
He told said the new changes will have to be met with quick action to ensure learners are not distressed.
“Parents need to be provided with adequate information on what needs to be done before January when schools reopen, after this rapid shift on where junior secondary will be domiciled, to avoid a last-minute rush when schools reopen,” he said.
He said poor planning could affect learning of the pioneer class of the CBC and called for enough resources for JSS.
“The Education ministry will have to consider reviewing the amount provided to schools capitation as the shift happens if they truly are determined to support the CBC,” Wasikhongo said.
