MPs Want Every Primary School to Have Junior Secondary Section.
Members of Parliament (MPs) have called on the government to provide infrastructure for Junior Secondary School (JSS) in all primary schools.
Currently, only a few primary schools have JSS sections, and this has forced many students to travel long distances to access education.
The MPs are concerned that without proper guidelines and policies governing the transition from primary to junior secondary, many learners risk being left out.
During a debate on the matter, the MPs argued that many learners who were in Grade Six and whose primary schools were not designated to offer JSS were finding it difficult to go to other schools.
“This arrangement forces learners to travel long distances to access institutions where JSS is available, which is not good,” said Mr Ruku.
Mbeere North MP Geoffrey Ruku tabled a motion calling on the government to establish JSS in every primary school.
He argued that the current arrangement had caused confusion, and the government had not addressed the infrastructural problems of this curriculum.
Communities have over the years continuously established learning institutions in their localities to address the lack of physical facilities. It is wrong to negate the gains communities have made by locating JSS in a few schools.
“The government has not addressed the infrastructural problems of this curriculum.“
Bureti MP Kibet Komingoi expressed concern that without clear guidelines and policies on the distance from one school to another, the implementation of this programme would affect children.
He said there was a need to come up with a clear policy, including infrastructure, to address the challenges of junior secondary schools for smooth implementation.
Kamukunji MP Yusuf Hassan lamented that JSS has inadequate facilities and an acute shortage of teachers.
He said it would be important to come up with a clear policy and funding plan so that the level of education in the country doesn’t deteriorate.
Kisumu East MP Shakeel Shabbir said JSS should not have been hosted in primary schools.
“There is no way you can have JSS students in a primary school. The students have to be in a secondary school,” Mr Shabbir said.
Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu told MPs that as of April 14, a total of 1,192,427 learners had enrolled in JSS, compared to an enrolment of 1,212,279 learners in Grade Six.
According to the Education Ministry, there are currently 23,820 schools approved to host JSS, 18,695 public and 5,125 private.
MPs Want Every Primary School to Have Junior Secondary Section.