Teachers Protest TSC Decisions Over Junior Secondary School Positions.
Primary school teachers in Kenya are protesting against the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) for not promoting them to teach Junior Secondary Schools (JSS). Despite upgrading their qualifications, the TSC has overlooked these teachers in favor of newly employed graduate teachers, sparking significant controversy within the education sector.
The Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) has expressed frustration over the TSC’s decision to hire graduate teachers, many of whom reportedly lack the necessary skills to effectively teach JSS learners. According to Knut Secretary-General Collins Oyuu, these graduate teachers lack adequate preparation to handle the diverse subjects required at the JSS level.
“There is no way a teacher who trained in English and Literature is being pushed to handle Music, Art and Craft, Computer, and other subjects. Teachers in primary schools can take over and teach Grade 7 and Grade 8 learners,” said Mr. Oyuu.
Knut is currently developing a policy paper to clarify which teachers should remain in JSS and to assess the impact of the current staffing decisions on the education sector. Mr. Oyuu emphasized that primary school teachers currently perform a significant portion of JSS teaching duties, highlighting their capability and readiness to handle these responsibilities.
According to Oyuu, a comprehensive situational analysis will be conducted in all public schools, involving consultation with education technocrats. Furthermore, this analysis aims to address the ongoing confusion and dissatisfaction among JSS teachers and, consequently, ensure a better allocation of teaching resources.
One of the critical points raised by Mr. Oyuu concerns the purpose of upgrading P1 teachers’ qualifications. He questioned why the TSC encouraged P1 teachers to enhance their skills without providing them the opportunity to teach in JSS. The union argues that employing graduate teachers for roles that primary school teachers can already handle is both inefficient and costly.
“It is uneconomical for the commission to employ JSS teachers to do nothing yet they earn hefty salaries. What is so interesting in Grades 7 and 8? Nothing! There is nothing new,” he stated.
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Since 2021, both Knut and the Kenya Primary Schools Head Teachers Association (Kepsha) have advocated for Grades 7, 8, and 9 to be taught in primary schools instead of secondary schools. Mr. Oyuu pointed out that many primary school teachers hold graduate degrees and are fully capable of teaching these grades.
In 2022, President William Ruto responded to these concerns by moving JSS to primary schools following stakeholder consultations. The Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms, led by Professor Raphael Munavu, engaged various education stakeholders, including union officials and teachers’ associations, to assess the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) system. However, their findings supported the primary school teachers’ stance.
Despite these decisions, secondary school head teachers and the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) have argued that Grade 9 learners should transition to institutions with better infrastructure. The current primary schools often lack the necessary facilities like laboratories and adequate classrooms.
Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu has reiterated that Grade 9 will remain in primary schools as the government works to improve infrastructure for the CBC learners. Consequently, this has led to ongoing debates and concerns about the preparedness of public schools to accommodate the growing number of students.
In conclusion, the dispute between primary school teachers and the TSC highlights significant issues in Kenya’s education system, particularly regarding teacher qualifications and resource allocation. As the government and educational bodies work towards resolving these challenges, it is crucial to consider the voices of those directly impacted. Effective and efficient utilization of teachers’ skills will be vital in ensuring a robust and quality education for all JSS learners.
Teachers Protest TSC Decisions Over Junior Secondary School Positions.
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