MPs Meet to Address JSS Fees & Confusion
The National Assembly Committee on Education held an emergency meeting on Thursday, February 9, to tackle the various issues associated with the Junior Secondary School transition.
There were concerns expressed about the ability of the Education Ministry to effectively implement the program, as Cabinet Secretary, Ezekiel Machogu, was not seen as being in touch with the realities on the ground.
Some of the problems the committee aims to resolve include children not being allowed to transition to Grade Seven with their old school uniforms, the shortage of teachers, and schools charging excessive fees to admit students in junior high school.
Gilgil MP Martha Wangari expressed her disappointment that “if you do not have a minimum of Ksh 20000, you will not be able to take your child to a Junior Secondary School.“
Lugari legislator and Education Committee member, Nabii Nabwera, called on the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to expedite the deployment of newly recruited 30000 teachers.
He also emphasized that the Ministry must consult with parents about school uniforms and should not impose their own decisions.
The transition to JSS has faced several other challenges including classroom congestion, slow distribution of textbooks, and the difficulty of finding hosting schools for institutions that have not been cleared.
Experts have even weighed in, suggesting that the government should consider refining the system.
The University Academic Staff Union (UASU) Secretary General, Constantine Wesonga, stated that even he was confused about the JSS transition, and the situation was much more confusing for parents in remote parts of Kenya.
Despite the government allocating billions of shillings to public schools, they are still grappling with congestion and poor infrastructure. It remains to be seen how the Ministry of Education will address these issues.
MPs Meet to Address JSS Fees & Confusion