Education Principal Secretary (PS) Belio Kipsang on Tuesday, January 31, issued a directive for uniform vendors to ensure that uniforms for Junior Secondary School (JSS) learners are affordable amid the maiden transition to grade seven.
Speaking during an inspection tour of grade seven transition activities in Kajiado County, the PS, however, emphasized that the uniforms should be of high quality.
He noted that having the requisite uniform would help to boost the learners' morale needed in their school activities.
"We are saying the uniforms should not be expensive but of good quality for every learner in our JSS institutions to boost their morale," he cautioned.
Further, the PS urged schools not to discriminate against the JSS learners based on lack of uniforms but instead give time for parents to purchase uniforms for their children.
Regarding the placement of learners in the various JSS schools, Kipsang clarified that the performance of learners in the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) would not form the basis of placement.
He reaffirmed his earlier stance that all learners who graduated from grade six would earn a place in JSS regardless of their performance in KPSEA exams.
Kipsang also asserted that the government was working to ensure the availability of skilled teachers in liaison with the Teachers Service Commission (TSC).
"I want to assure all Kenyans that JSS learners are in safe hands in all our institutions as we endeavour to have an adequate number of teachers per school to deliver on the new curriculum," the PS noted.
His pronouncement on uniforms came after an earlier directive from Trade and Industry Cabinet Secretary, Moses Kuria, warning school heads against specifying vendors from which parents should buy uniforms.
Grade seven learners were expected to open on Monday, January 30, amid fears of inadequate preparations in some public schools.
However, the government has restated its commitment to ensuring a smooth transition in what would become a landmark switch to fully actualize the Competence Based Curriculum (CBC).
