The Ministry of Education has set new requirements for schools that wish to host junior secondary schools prior to Grade Seven enrolment, creating a new quandary for parents and school heads.
The Ministry issued a circular on January 8 outlining a number of mandatory conditions that schools must meet in regards to infrastructure, enrolment levels, and human resources.
For example, in highly populated areas, schools with fewer than 45 students are at risk of being merged with neighboring ones.
According to the circular, primary schools with enrollments of fewer than 45 students would act as feeder schools for other JSSs located within a two-kilometer radius.
During the evaluation, schools will be expected to provide evidence that they have the required number of qualified teachers, with the highest level of education attained by any of these teachers being a diploma.
The Competency-Based Curriculum also requires teachers to prove they are capable of teaching in new subjects.
Due to the hands-on nature of CBC, the Integrated Science lab is required in all junior high schools.
Leading the Ministry’s list of requirements are two additional classes for junior secondary schools, clean and safe food preparation, and enough playgrounds for students.
Principals have voiced concern that the construction and equipping of laboratories may drive up costs beyond their budgets.
“We must invest heavily to ensure that the laboratories are equipped and that we hire an experienced laboratory technician,” school director John Maina stated.
In a joint media interview on January 4, President William Ruto provided a raft of measures to ensure that the schools are well prepared to host Grade Seven pupils.
When asked about the potential for schools with spare classrooms to transform them into laboratories, Ruto made the point that this is indeed an option. His suggestion was that nearby schools share some of their resources.
The new directives apply to both public and private primary schools.
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