In a bid to quell growing concerns and speculation among parents, the Ministry of Education has firmly assured a smooth transition for pupils from Junior Secondary School (JSS) to Senior School, pushing back against calls by a section of education stakeholders to relocate the final grade of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) to secondary institutions.
This means the pioneer class of the CBC will continue their educational journey in their current institutions when they transition to Grade 9 next year.
Basic Education Principal Secretary, Belio Kipsang, speaking on Wednesday, April 3, dismissed concerns about the readiness of junior schools to accommodate Grade 9 learners.
Acknowledging that the transition would require effort, Kipsang revealed plans for the construction of 16,000 classrooms to accommodate these learners.
"We are prepared for our children to be in Grade 9 next year. We are initiating the construction of 16,000 classrooms; it will be a marathon and Kenyans are not scared of a marathon," Kipsang affirmed.
During a stakeholders engagement forum at the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD), Kipsang disclosed that the ministry would introduce 12 legislations to provide guidelines for the transition of pupils to senior school.
He empathized with parents' anxiety amid the rigorous implementation of Junior Secondary School.
The ministry, he stated, is set to present a sessional paper aimed at reviewing students' operational costs to ensure the adequate delivery of the CBC. This paper, drawing from the Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms (PWPER), provides a policy framework for sustainable planning in education, training, and research.
Moreover, Kipsang assured that the government is committed to completing the current JSS cycle, facilitating a smooth transition for parents and children to senior secondary school.
The decision to maintain Junior School in primary institutions aligns with the preferences expressed by education stakeholders during consultations conducted by the Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms. Kipsang highlighted that 93% of Kenyans supported this decision.
However, this stance by the ministry has frustrated the efforts of some stakeholders who advocated for the transfer of Grade 9 learners to secondary schools. The recent demands from parents to relocate Grade 9 learners sparked fresh debate on the issue.
Silas Obuhatsa, National Parents Association chairman, expressed concerns about diluting the CBC implementation by hosting the institutions in primary schools. He emphasized the need for additional classrooms due to the intake of Grade One learners and the finalist class.
"Is the government able to construct 15,000 classrooms between now and next year?" Obuhatsa questioned, referring to the projected number of classrooms required for the transition. He suggested that the absence of Form One admissions in secondary schools next year could provide adequate space for the students.
In February, the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) proposed a split of junior secondary into two, with Grade 9 moving to high school. This proposal, aiming to address challenges in the implementation of JSS, received mixed reactions from stakeholders.
"Time is still there to make amends," said Akello Misori, Kuppet’s secretary general. He urged for Grade 8 to be pushed to secondary school while grappling with challenges in Grade 7, which remains domiciled in primary school.
