Reports of Harassment and Non-Teaching Duties Fuel Discontent in Junior Schools.
Reports of harassment, non-teaching duties and heavy workloads have intensified junior school teachers’ discontent across several counties, with calls for reforms and administrative autonomy.
Three years since junior schools were established under the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC), teachers deployed to these schools are still complaining of inadequate staffing, lack of resources and strained relations with primary school administrators.
According to Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) and Kenya Junior School Teachers Association (KEJUSTA), teachers in counties such as Kwale, Embu, Bungoma and Nyeri are being assigned non-teaching duties including kitchen duties and up to 40 lessons a week. The unions say these conditions undermine curriculum delivery and compromise teachers’ professional dignity.
KEJUSTA national chairperson James Odhiambo said the situation is a national crisis and needs immediate recognition of junior schools as independent institutions. “It’s a national crisis and we need dignity and respect at the workplace. We are rejecting the idea of comprehensive schools because this will create more confusion and conflict between the head of institution and the teachers,” said Mr Odhiambo.
In Bungoma County, KEJUSTA organising secretary Ladyisar Simiyu said funds allocated to schools were not being used for junior school needs. She said learners lacked desks while co-curricular activities such as sports, music and drama were underfunded.
Career progression is also a concern. Teachers said the lack of a clear pathway for professional growth has left them uncertain about promotion opportunities and fuelling anger.
KUPPET executive secretary in Kwale County, Leonard Oronje said lack of autonomy and heavy workloads contradicts the 2-6-3-3 education structure. He warned that if the Ministry of Education fails to address the matter, they will take legal action.
“How do you expect a teacher to handle 40 lessons a week? That means they have no time to rest and must attend classes one after another,” Mr Oronje said.
On staffing, Nyeri Junior School Teachers Association interim chairperson Peter Kimathi said many single-stream schools had only one or two teachers and were forced to teach subjects outside their areas of expertise. He wants TSC to confirm current interns to permanent and pensionable terms and deploy more teachers.
Read Also: Over 50,000 JSS Teachers to Quit KUPPET if Autonomy Demands Fail
Last week, TSC director of staffing Antonina Lentoijoni said the commission had proposed a new administrative structure where comprehensive schools would be headed by a principal and two deputies — one for primary schools and another for junior schools.
Education stakeholders are still waiting for policy direction from the Ministry of Education on the governance and operational structure of junior schools.
Reports of Harassment and Non-Teaching Duties Fuel Discontent in Junior Schools.
