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A Member of Parliament has called on the Ministry of Education to develop a comprehensive policy and funding plan for the establishment of Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) in the country.
Hon.Geoffery Ruku, MP (Mbeere North) moved a motion on the Development of a Policy and Funding for Junior Secondary Schools in a session of the National Assembly this morning.
This follows concerns that the recent guidelines issued by the government, directing that JSS be established in existing primary schools, will render classroom facilities that housed classes seven and eight redundant, and will compel students to travel longer distances to access institutions where JSS are based.
While addressing the National Assembly ,Hon. Ruku noted that communities have been establishing learning institutions within their localities to address the inadequate physical facilities to support the attainment of universal access to education. They also acknowledge that huge sums of funds, particularly under the National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF), have been invested in improving infrastructure in primary schools.
Lawmakers lauded the timely motion on Junior Secondary Schools expressing concern with the existing guidelines were hurriedly developed and operationalized without a comprehensive policy and funding plan for the successful implementation of the Competency-Based Curriculum at the Junior Secondary School level. Under the new curriculum, pupils will transition from primary school at class six instead of class eight, as was the case under the previous 8-4-4 system.
To address these concerns, the motion by Hon. George Ruku urges the Ministry of Education to urgently develop a comprehensive Junior Secondary School policy to regularize and anchor the guidelines under the Basic Education Act, 2012.
The motion further calls on the Ministry to develop a clear implementation framework for the Competency-Based Curriculum at the JSS level and provide a funding plan for its successful implementation.
Hon. Hassan Abdi Yusuf, MP Kamukunji Constituency seconded the motion.
