Why future of JSS hangs between primary and secondary schools

KUPPET Sec-Gen Akelo Misori during a press briefing on budget cuts in the education sector on 14th May 2025. [David Gichuru, Standard] Junior School Secondary (JSS) teachers have rallied behind Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) Secretary-General Akelo Misori, insisting his message about the autonomy and future of JSS is valid. This comes after Misori was heckled by rival union Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) officials at State House on Saturday after calling for JSS to be domiciled in secondary schools rather than primary schools. Speaking after the State House meeting, Interim Chair of the JSS National Forum Chairman Edwin Osoro defended Misori, arguing that the current arrangement of JSS under primary schools is untenable. "What the Secretary-General for Kuppet was talking about was the autonomy of JSS," Osoro said. "The issues affecting the JSS teachers are about the Career Progression Guidelines. When you join the career as a post-primary teacher, you begin at C2." During the State House meeting, Misori made a strong case for moving JSS to secondary schools, citing a lack of proper infrastructure in primary schools, especially science laboratories. "Some policies in the education sector require serious interrogation," he told the gathering before being interrupted. He acknowledged the heckling, remarking, "This is the beauty of democracy. Everyone has his or her say." Knut, led by Secretary-General Collins Oyuu, maintains that JSS should remain in primary schools, a position supported by primary school teachers who fear losing influence and resources if JSS shifts to secondary schools. At the height of the heated exchanges, President William Ruto moved to calm tensions by addressing the deeper issue - teachers' stagnation in career progression and the structural weaknesses in the current JSS framework. The President admitted that thousands of teachers have languished in the same grade for up to two decades, creating frustration within the profession. "I am aware that many teachers have stagnated in the same grade for 10 to 20 years," Ruto said. "That is unacceptable. From the 2025/26 budget, the allocation for promotions will be doubled from Sh1 billion to Sh2 billion annually. This will allow us to promote 50,000 teachers every year, up from the current 25,000,'' the President said. Osoro noted that under the Competency-Based Education, each level of learning was designed to be distinct: two years in pre-primary, six years in primary, three years in JS, and three years in senior school before tertiary education. "The framework separates all levels and should be treated distinctively. There is nothing like comprehensive school, which is just under review," he stressed. According to him, many JSS teachers are already confirmed and could serve as acting administrators until the government posts substantive heads. He criticised the current arrangement where primary headteachers, most of whom are not trained to teach JSS curriculum, act as JSS heads. "If you are not qualified to teach in JSS, then it is clear you don't stand to lead there," he argued. "If you are not qualified to teach in JSS, then it is clear you don't stand to lead there," he argued. "We want that autonomy and independency of running our affairs. We want those people who understand the requirements to deliver the curriculum." He directed the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) and unions to jointly review the Career Progression Guidelines to make them clearer and fairer, including addressing concerns related to delocalisation. On recruitment, Ruto ordered the adoption of a "first out, first in" policy beginning December 2025 to ensure fairness. This means teachers who have been waiting longest since graduation will be prioritized in hiring. He also gave TSC 60 days to compile data on teachers aged 45 and above who have never been posted. "We will design a plan for their absorption, possibly through affirmative action, because they deserve a chance to serve," he said. To address staffing shortages, the President confirmed that 24,000 teachers will be recruited in January 2026, bringing the total number hired in three years to 100,000. While Ruto's measures on promotions and recruitment were widely welcomed, the dispute over JS domicile remains unresolved. KNUT continues to push for JS to remain in primary schools, citing the 23,000 classrooms already constructed in primary schools. Kuppet, on the other hand, insists that quality education demands JS be housed in secondary schools with better infrastructure. For Osoro and his colleagues, however, the priority is not where JS sits, but whether teachers' professional development is secured and learners receive quality education. "Our pioneer class of CBC learners have been struggling all the way for the whole cycle," he said. "We must ensure that Junior Secondary is given the space and the tools to function as an independent level of education, free from competing union interests."

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