Parents and relevant stakeholders in the education system have been urged to join hands with the government so as to ensure smooth transition of their children into the junior secondary school system.
State Department for Curriculum Reforms and Implementation PS Prof. Fatuma Chege has said parents have a huge responsibility in seeing to it that the programme becomes a success, as they are the major stakeholders.
Speaking during the launch of Junior Secondary Schools classrooms and laboratories at Kerugoya Municipality Primary School in Kirinyaga County, Chege said parents should help their children to embrace the changes even as they continue undertaking the critical transition in the new curriculum.
During the function, she also awarded the school a certificate of compliance to host the junior secondary school after meeting all requirements.
The PS said about 1.26 million Grade 6 pupils countrywide are scheduled to be admitted to junior secondary schools in January 2023, forming the first cohort to transition to Grade 7, under the new Competency Based Curriculum rolled out in 2017.
She said the ministry has already availed the list of the schools in the portal and pupils will select two schools from each category, ranging from national to sub-county schools and other two private schools.
“Under the programme, the pupils will select from different categories of schools namely national, regional, county, sub-county and private junior secondary schools respectively. Only two schools are picked from each level,” she said.
The PS hailed private schools for their continued partnership saying it will help in creating space to accommodate more students, thus making the country achieve 100 per cent transition.
She further acknowledged schools for fully complying with the ministry’s guidelines as far as setting up of the requisite infrastructure was concerned.
“They have exhibited dedication in establishing the infrastructure and more so the labs, which is a basic requirement under the new curriculum,” Chege said.
Kenya Private Schools Association Vice Chairman Solomon Munene, thanked the government for its continued support in guidance and giving an opportunity for students to advance their junior secondary education in private schools.
Kirinyaga County Education Officer Nancy Munga said the county has achieved an 85 per cent progress in readiness for the implementation of the junior secondary school system.
She said the county education board has been working tirelessly to create awareness and assess the state of the tuition infrastructure, pledging that all the targeted institutions will soon be fully compliant.
“I am happy to report that in our county we are at 85% compliance and we are not stopping until all schools meet all the ministry requirements,” Munga said.
Kirinyaga Central Sub-County Education Officer Kennedy Machora said 25 private schools within the sub county have been given a green light to advance in the new education system.
Machora expressed confidence that by next year there will be about 10,000 slots within the sub county for the advancement of junior secondary education.
By Mutai Kipngetich
