Education Cabinet Secretary, Ezekiel Machogu, on Thursday, March 9, explained why learning was yet to start for most Junior Secondary Schools (JSSs) nationwide.
While appearing before the Senate Education Committee, the CS revealed that textbook shortage had hampered many public JSSs.
Machogu assured the committee that plans were underway to ensure every school had enough books as determined by population.
“Quite a number of JSSs have got their books, but I want to convey that we have not been able to give all the schools up to now.
“It is not the Ministry’s fault, but the publishers who have been slow in publishing and distributing what the schools requested,” Machogu clarified.
Machogu explained that the government had already invested Ksh3 billion, nearly 17.8 million textbooks, enough for every public JSS in Kenya.
The Senate Committee further faulted the Education Ministry for delaying the release of capacitation funds for public JSSs.
“Many schools are yet to receive capacitation for learners, which has hampered learning.
“What has occasioned the delay, yet money has already been disbursed to the Ministry?" Nominated Senator Tabitha Mutinda wondered.
Machogu revealed that everything was in place and schools would start receiving capacitation from March 13.
“We cannot give out funds on guesswork. We had to get the specific figure to capture it in The National Education Management Information System (NEMIS).
“We did this to avoid the government losing money, and by next week, the schools will start receiving capacitation,” he assured the Senate Education Committee.
The Ministry, in January 2023, announced that JSS will be domiciled in existing primary schools.
Learners with special needs under the stage-based curriculum who complete the intermediate level were directed to join the pre-vocational level in the same institutions
