The Ministry of Education, MoE, has provided the final guidelines on Governance of Junior Secondary Schools (JSS). The guidelines are on: Governance, Leadership, Boards of Management and other guidelines.
GOVERNANCE OF JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL
Overview of Governance of JSS
Effective JSS leadership and management will contribute to operational effectiveness and efficient utilisation of resources and curriculum implementation quality.
Leadership of Junior Secondary Schools in the Interim Transition Period
- The governance of JSS SHALL encompass National, Regional, County, Sub-County and institutional levels (see Chapter Ten on specific roles and responsibilities of the respective actors).
- Headteachers of the public Primary School that domiciles the JSS SHALL head the respective JSSs throughout the interim period of the transition (1st January–December 30th 2023). These SHALL perform duties in accordance with Part IV, Section 40 of the Basic Education Act (2013); the TSC Act (2012) and the Code of Regulations for Teachers (2015).
- A special Sub-Committee of the Primary School BoM that domiciles the JSS SHALL manage the JSS during the transitional period (1st January–December 30th 2023), in accordance with Section 61 (1) of the Basic Education Act (2013).
- The JSS Management Committee so constituted SHALL perform its functions as stated in Section 59 of the Basic Education Act (2013). These will include policy implementation; management of finances, physical facilities, staff, learners’ welfare, quality education and school community relations.
- The Secretary of the JSS Management Committee SHALL be the Head of the Primary School that domiciles the JSS while the Chairperson SHALL be a member.
- The JSS Management Committee SHALL have representation from the teachers, parents or local community, sponsor, Persons with Disability (PWDs) and special interest groups as spelt out in Section 56 of the Basic Education Act (2013).
- In addition to Section 57 (2) of the Basic Education Act (2013), other considerations for the JSS Management Committee chairperson SHALL include a Secondary School Form Four Certificate and a Certificate of Good Conduct.
- ALL private JSSs SHALL establish and operationalise relevant educational and governance structures in accordance with Section 52 (a) of the Basic Education Act (2013). These MAY include BoMs, Boards of Directors or Boards of Trustees.
- ALL JSSs SHALL establish a Parents Association in accordance with the Third Schedule and Section 55 (3) of the Basic Education Act (2013). The head of JSS WILL serve as secretary to the Parents Association.
- In the case of sponsored schools, the sponsor of the Primary School in which the JSS is domiciled SHALL automatically assume the role of sponsor for the respective JSSs. They will perform their role in accordance with Section 27 of the Basic Education Act (2013).
- In regard to 3.2 (iv- viii), the MoE SHALL revise the Basic Education Act (2013) and related provisions, to anchor the JSS Management Committee.
Institutional-Level Leadership
The JSS leadership SHALL:
- Provide instructional leadership as guided by the existing
- Enforce adherence to the various legislative and policy frameworks guiding Basic Education provision (see Section 3.5).
- Mobilise resources for curriculum implementation and development of the school, in collaboration with the community and other stakeholders.
- Involve the community in the implementation of programmes to promote ownership and ensure provision of facilities for quality curriculum delivery.
- Promote and establish partnerships and collaborations that are beneficial to the school community in accordance with existing laws and Government guidelines.
- Ensure registration of ALL JSS learners in the National Education Management Information System (NEMIS), for national-level planning and decision making.
- Maintain accurate real time data and upload the same on the NEMIS in a manner and form prescribed by the Cabinet Secretary for Education.
The Comprehensive School
The MoE SHALL in long term model realign ALL existing schools into a composite school that amalgamates Pre- primary, Primary, JSS and Senior Secondary School (SSS) levels within one complex. The Comprehensive School will implement a broad curriculum that allows for optimal utilization of resources across the levels. Each level will offer age- appropriate content and grading for the learners, based on the curriculum prescribed. In this regard:
- The Comprehensive School SHALL be managed by a common BoM (for public schools); BoM, Board of Directors or Board of Trustees, in the case of private Management committees SHALL be established to manage the various levels.
- The school SHALL be administered by one principal (or director, for private schools) who will be assisted by deputies at the different levels.
- The School name SHALL reflect the four (4) levels (Pre- primary, Primary, JSS and SSS). However, the bank account names SHALL be specific to the school levels (e.g. JSS).
- The School’s leadership SHALL develop a common 5 year Strategic Plan whose implementation will be monitored by the CDEs and the QA&S officers.
- The School SHALL adopt a common Vision, Mission, Motto and Core Values for the Pre- primary, Primary, JSS and These SHALL be developed in consultation with the school’s community in order to align with the Kenyan education sector aspirations.
Legal and Policy Frameworks
Regulations are rules or orders issued by a Government, to control the conduct of people or sectors like education. Education policies are a collection of laws and rules that govern the operation of education systems. In this regard, the implementation of JSE SHALL be guided by the regulatory and policy frameworks and guidelines of the MoE as summarised below:
Table 2: Legal and policy frameworks and guidelines of the MoE
| S/N | Framework | Implications on JSS Implementation |
| 1. | Basic Education Act (2013) | Operationalises Article 53 of the Constitution on free and compulsory Basic Education; accreditation, registration, governance and management of Basic Education institutions. |
| 2. | Basic Education Regulations (2015) | Operationalises the Basic Education Act (2013) on the structure of education, conduct and management of schools; infrastructure standards, admissions and progression; and, teacher education development. |
| 3 | Children Act (2021) | Provides a comprehensive framework for parental responsibility, child care and protection. |
| 4. | PWD Act, 2003 | Provides for a barrier free and disability friendly environment for enhanced access and mobility of learners and stakeholders. |
| 5. | Teachers Service Commission Act (2012) | Spells out the terms and conditions for registration and employment of teachers including standardisation and regulation of the teaching profession, among other functions. |
| 6. | Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development Act (2013) | Mandates KICD to among others, develop, review and approve programmes, curricula and curriculum support materials for Basic Education and Training. |
| 7. | Kenya National Examinations Council Act (2012). | Regulates the conduct, conducts of public academic, technical and other national examinations in Basic Education as well as guiding the conduct of national examinations. |
| 8. | National Curriculum Policy (2018) | Provides a framework for governance, management of the curriculum reform implementation in education and training sectors. |
| 9. | Basic Education Curriculum Framework (2017). | Conceptualises the curriculum reforms in Basic Education; Pre-primary, Primary, Secondary, and inclusive education. |
| 10. | Physical Education and Sports Policy for Basic Education (2021) | Addresses the mental, social and physical wellbeing of learners. Specifically, Physical Education and Sports contribute to sustainable development, peace, gender equality, inclusion, health, education and employability. |
| 11. | Policy on ICT in Education and Training (2021). | Promotes seamless incorporation of information and communication technologies to support and enhance curriculum implementation, enhance acquisition of skills, knowledge, attitudes and values, and to manage education effectively and efficiently at all levels. |
| 12. | ICT Security Policy Controls (2014) | Establishes general guidelines, rules and regulations for the use and protection of the MoE information, data, systems and utilisation of ICT. |
| 13. | Education and Training Sector Gender Policy (2015) | Proposes responsive strategies to promote gender equality and inclusivity in education access, equity and equality. |
| 14. | Policy Framework for Nomadic Education (Revised draft, 2015) | Provides for coordination and strengthening the management and delivery of nomadic education, through the National Council for Nomadic Education in Kenya (NACONEK). |
| 15. | Kenya School Health Policy and Guidelines (2018); and, related provisions on school meals and WASH. | Promotes sustainable reduction of the impact of communicable and non- communicable diseases. Among others, this addresses values and life skills, development among learners; WASH facilities, nutrition, special needs of the learners; and gender mainstreaming in education and health systems. |
| 16. | Education for Sustainable Development Policy for the Education Sector (2017) | Incorporates key themes of sustainable development such as poverty alleviation, human rights, innovation, health and environmental protection and climate change into education. This addresses competencies such as critical thinking, creativity and making decisions in a collaborative way. |
| 17. | Sector Policy for Learners and Trainees with Disability(2018) | Contributes to enhancing access, retention, progression and transition for learners and trainees with special needs and disability in Basic Education and Training. |
| 18. | Education Sector Policy on Peace Education (2014) | Provides an institutional framework for the management and implementation of peace education in the sector. |
| 19. | Mentorship Policy for Early Learning and Basic Education (2019). | Provides for effective and efficient mentorship of learners in basic education and training on: career choices, values and life skills. |
| 20. | Education Sector Disaster Management Policy (2017). | Provides for an institutional framework for coordination, communication, information management, implementation, M&E of Education in Emergencies interventions in Kenya. |
| 21. | National Education Quality Assurance and Standards: Framework (2021) | Prescribes multi-dimensional quality standards for Basic Education with a focus on (i) learners’ outcomes (ii) school management and curriculum implementation; and, (iii) provision of basic education. |
| 22. | Safety Standards Manual for Schools in Kenya (2008). | Guides prevention and mitigation against threats to learners’ safety on learning institutions infrastructure, food, health and hygiene; teaching and learning; and the socio-cultural environment. |
| 23. | Registration Guidelines for Basic Education | Institutions provide standards and norms required for registration of Basic Education instructions. |
| 24. | Standards for Laboratories, equipment and materials in the senior Education Model schools and other basic Education Institutions | Provides designs for construction of standard labs and specifications foe equipment and materials necessary in the laboratory. |
Data Management at Junior Secondary School.
Best practice emphasises the need for informed use of data for reliable measurement and reporting on Education and Training quality, reach and impact; continual organisational learning and improvement. The data may be derived from Education Management Information Systems (MIS), assessment and various other sources for evidence-based policy options, strategies and programming.
The NEMIS is one such web-based data management solution that collects, processes and reports data and information from education institutions on specified indicators. NEMIS hosts learners’ personal data, linked to a randomly generated Unique Personal Identifier (UPI), for informed decision-making and planning of the education sector. In this regard:
- The JSS leadership SHALL collaborate with the MoE to migrate ALL JSS learners to NEMIS, with their UPIs. UPIs will be created for new learners.
- In the case of public institutions, registration in NEMIS SHALL form the basis for planning and resource allocation. This includes Free Day Secondary School capitation.
- The MoE SHALL integrate NEMIS with other sub-sector and relevant Information Management Systems such as the TVET-MIS Teacher Information Management Systems (TIMS) Kenya, National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) and Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC), Examination Processing System (EPS). The system shall have interfacing capabilities and data security for education and training This is critical to tracking transitions across Basic Education and Training.
Communication and Advocacy on Junior Secondary Education
- The Cabinet Secretary for Education SHALL be responsible for ALL communication and advocacy on JSS.
- In regard 7 (i) (above), the MoE SHALL develop and operationalize a robust Communication Strategy on JSE.
- At operational level, the JSS leadership SHALL undertake stakeholder advocacy and sensitisation on disability mainstreaming as well as other factors that impede effective education delivery in the school and community. This SHALL be done in consultation with the CDE and the schools’
Monitoring, Evaluation and Research
- County Education Boards (CEBs) SHALL collaborate with the JSS BoMs, TSC and DQAS in registration of JSSs, maintaining data banks on enrolment and teacher management.
- The CEBs SHALL be responsible for the overall monitoring of Basic Education activities at County level as spelt out under Part 15 (1) of the Basic Education Act (2013).
- The JSS leadership SHALL monitor implementation of curriculum programmes and activities; and submit a comprehensive report to the SCDE on termly basis.
(v) KNEC SHALL administer relevant assessments and report periodically on the factors that affect learning (besides the conventional assessment of learning outcomes). These will inform the micro and macro interventions required for effective implementation of JSS.
Quality Assurance of Junior Secondary Education
Quality Assurance (QA) of education encompasses curriculum effectiveness; quality of learning environments and resources; pedagogical and professional practice; and accreditation mechanisms. In this regard:
- The MoE through the Directorate of Quality Assurance and Standards (DQAS) SHALL be responsible for assuring standards and quality of JSE, in accordance with Section 64 of the Basic Education Act (2013).
- The MoE (DQAS) WILL operationalize a multi-agency approach that integrates professional expertisethroughcollaborationswithrelevant Government Ministries, Departments, Commissions and Agencies (MDCAs) and partners on specific quality dimensions (e.g. instructional leadership, staffing quality, learners’ welfare and infrastructure adequacy).
- The MoE SHALL grant agency to the Curriculum Support Officers (CSOs) to support QA at Ward level.
- The JSS leadership SHALL take overall responsibility for school- level
- The TSC SHALL establish and operationalize a QA department in ALL public
- MoE and TSC SHALL establish and operationalize a framework for operationalizing the institutional- based QA arrangements in regard to 3.9 (ii- iv).
- ALL private JSSs SHALL establish and operationalize a QA department for related
Institutional-based Quality Assurance at Junior Secondary Schools
The DQAS and JSS leadership SHALL collaborate, to establish an internal school quality culture as specified in PART IX Section 66 and 70 of the Basic Education Act (2013). In this regard, ALL JSSs SHALL:
- Constitute an Institutional Based Quality Assurance(IBQA) Committee to guide the institutionalisation of QA.
- Establish and operationalise subject panels to implement
- Utilise online IBQA tools to conduct institutional self and peer assessment on the various quality dimensions. These include leadership and management, curriculum organisation and implementation, physical infrastructure, learners’ welfare and community involvement.
- Co-dinate with the IBQA Committees to generate a report citing challenges identified, strengths, recommendations and follow up mechanisms for continual improvement.
- Participate in School-based clusters or Communities of Practice and peer learning programmes to strengthen IBQA and share best practices as SHALL be guided by MoE policies and guidelines on
- Disseminate IBQA assessment reports at the school, Ward, Sub-County, County, Regional and National levels, with actionable recommendations and interventions.
- Collaborate with the DQAS mentorship, coaching and hand holding support to JSSs with low Quality Index, based on the analysis conducted.
- In regard to IBQA, the MoE SHALL review the National Education Quality Assurance and Standards Framework (2021) to address the provisions of these Guidelines.
