The list of schools approved to host Junior Secondary Schools
The list of schools approved to host junior secondary school sections in each Sub County has been made public by the Ministry of Education (MOE).
Grades 7, 8, and 9 are included in junior secondary. On January 30, 2023, the Grade 6 students who took the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) exams last year will advance to Grade 7.
Not all primary and secondary schools will hold junior secondary classes, according to the updated list. Only those received approval who met the requirements of the Ministry.
However, most public primary schools have been given the go-ahead and will host the highly sought-after junior high classes.
An evaluation tool for determining the acceptability of schools across the nation was made available by the Education Ministry.
Public and private schools had to adhere to strict criteria set forth by the Ministry in order to host junior secondary sections.
To decide which schools will host junior secondary schools and which ones will be merged, it took into account the number of pupils enrolled, the availability of facilities, and security.
It was stated that teachers who will instruct students in grades 7, 8, and 9 in junior secondary school must hold a diploma or a degree.
The evaluation ran from January 9 until January 20, 2023. According to the checklist document, FEEDER SCHOOL will be any Primary School without the enrollment or infrastructure needed to house a JSS.
It stated that in these situations, it will either transfer the students to a nearby JSS or carry out the necessary positive action to guarantee a seamless transition.
Primary schools with fewer than 45 students enrolled or without the necessary facilities to house a JSS acted as feeder schools to other JSSs within a 2-kilometer radius in high density areas and urban informal settlements.
Affirmative action was implemented by the government through the Ministry of Education in areas that were geographically large, sparsely populated, and vulnerable to insecurity, as well as for students with special needs and disabilities. This was done regardless of enrollment.
As seen in the following table, the School received a Good, Fair, or Poor rating.
75 – 100% Good As the school has mostly complied with the requirements, it is advised that it be registered to deliver the JSE curriculum.
50 – 74% Fair The school has complied with several requirements, but it still needs to pass a second exam before it can be registered to deliver the JSS curriculum.
The draft Junior Secondary transition guidelines provide more information. Although Junior Secondary will be housed in elementary institutions, the Government is determined to ensure that the two levels of study will stay distinct.
The uniforms that will be worn by Grade 7 students in February have already been authorized by several school boards of management (BOMs).
To set the Grade 7 students apart from their Primary School peers, they will wear distinctive uniforms.
Up to the end of the current school year, head teachers of primary schools will serve as junior secondary school principals.
The head teachers will be in charge of the high school wing’s financial administration as well as serving as the secretary of junior secondary boards of management.
As is now done for other high school students, students at junior secondary schools will get government capitation per child as well.
To enable free junior secondary education in public schools, the government will contribute Sh15,000 each learner as capitation.
Ezekiel Machogu, the cabinet secretary for education, issued a warning to school administrators not to impose any fees on junior secondary students. He also threatened harsh disciplinary action in such cases.
The National Treasury has been ordered by President William Ruto to set aside Sh15,000 per student as capitation to support free education in all public schools. This fiscal year, the government would allocate a total of Sh9.6 billion to students in junior high and secondary schools. saying Machogu.
It follows that no school should charge Grade 7 students any fees unless the school has boarding wings. Due to the 100% transition policy in the same school where the students were enrolled in Grade Six, public schools are not permitted to charge any admission fees for any Grade Seven students.
Charles Ong’ondo, CEO of the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development, stated that students in all public primary schools will have books for the 12 required and two optional learning subjects.
The textbooks would be available in the classrooms before classes begin, according to Ong’ondo.
Starting on January 30, the government will provide a book for every student in every topic, carrying the burden it has previously handled for all learning areas and optional ones.
According to Ong’ondo, even if the government purchases the books, it will not force schools to use only those texts.
The other books, which we have also approved, will still be available for the students to purchase, he said.