Learners in Junior School (JSS) will report back to school at the same time as students who will be joining Form One this year, Nyeri County Director of Education, Jane Njogu, has clarified.
The announcement has cleared the air in regard to the official opening dates for the learners who form the first batch of students under the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC).
The last lot of 1.4 million students under the 8-4-4 system sat for their KCPE examination last year.
Ms. Njogu says the rest of the students, including those in secondary schools, will be reporting back to school beginning Monday.
Njogu, however, said the Ministry is currently monitoring the situation and will only be in a position to give a comprehensive report after all learners have reported back to school in the county.
“Junior Secondary School (learners) will report (back) with Form Ones, but the other grades are reporting this week like other learners. We are just monitoring the opening, so we may not be able to give a report as such and you know secondary schools do not open on day one. Maybe by tomorrow (today), once primary schools report, we may be able to report whether there are any issues,” she told KNA.
At least 1.2 million pioneer JSS learners across the country are expected to join Grade 8 under the new CBC system.
The class now will replace the defunct Standard 8, which has been around for 38 years.
On recent protests by JSS intern teachers calling on the government to convert their services into permanent terms, the official said she was not privy to such developments since it was not under her docket.
She nevertheless said Nyeri had not witnessed the alleged protests and will only comment once such a scenario unfolds.
“I am not privy to such information (in regard to teachers protests), since we have not seen teachers carrying twigs and placards here (Nyeri). In addition, I am not mandated to comment on the issue of staffing, since the matter lies squarely on the desk of the Teachers Service Commission. I would not want to comment on anything because that is the mandate of the Commission,” she stated.
Towards the end of last year, a section of JSS tutors threatened to downgrade their tools this year unless TSC confirmed their employment into permanent and pensionable terms.
They had also complained of too much work and, at times, being forced to work in lower primary classes, where JSS is currently domiciled.
The government hired a total of 46,000 intern teachers last year on contract terms.
Out of this number, 21,500 were to teach in JSS on a two-year contract before being absorbed into the service on permanent terms.
By Samuel Maina
