KUPPET Advocates for Junior Secondary Schools to be Integrated into Secondary Schools

Elgeyo Marakwet, Kenya – In a recent Annual General Meeting held at Sambirir Secondary School in Elgeyo Marakwet, the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) called on the government to better integrate Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) into the existing secondary school system. This move is aimed at addressing the disparities in teaching resources and facilities between secondary and primary schools.

According to Kenya News Agency, secondary school teachers, who are typically trained to handle two specific subjects, are currently being tasked with teaching up to 14 subjects across sciences and humanities in JSS. This is posing a significant challenge, as these teachers were not trained to handle such a broad range of subjects. Chelang’a highlighted the lack of essential facilities for JSS in public primary schools, such as laboratories, swimming pools, and technological tools, which disadvantages the students. “We have teachers trained in specific subject combinations like Geography/Kiswahili, but they are required to teach 14 subjects in JSS, including sciences, which they are not trained in,” he explained, expressing dissatisfaction with the current implementation of the JSS curriculum.

Chelang’a stressed that the current system is not effectively catering to the educational needs of children in JSS, resulting in what he described as a ‘raw deal’ for the students. Furthermore, he raised concerns about the employment conditions of teachers on internships, advocating for their absorption into the system. He criticized the practice of employing these teachers for only one year without the possibility of future hiring, calling for fairer treatment and employment opportunities for these educators.