By Roy Hezron
The government is planning to overhaul the structure of schooling to morph up all levels from pre-primary to senior secondary under one institution, bearing some semblance to the United Kingdom and some European Union countries.
This will ensure that learners smoothly transition through different levels in one place, without necessarily moving to other schools as is the case now.
In the recently released Guidelines for Implementation of Junior Secondary Education (JSE) released in January, 2023, the so-to-be-called Comprehensive School will implement a broad curriculum that allows for optimal utilization of resources across all levels.
“The Ministry of Education (MoE) shall in the long term realign all existing schools into a composite school that amalgamates pre-primary, primary, Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) and Senior Secondary School (SSS) levels within one complex,” read the guidelines in part.
According to the MoE, each level will offer age-appropriate content and grading for the learners based on the curriculum prescribed.
The guidelines stipulate that the Comprehensive School shall be managed by a common Board of Management (BoM) for the case of public schools; while for private schools it will be by BoM, Board of Directors or Board of Trustees.
The management committees, just as is the case now with the special sub-committee set up for JSS, shall be established to manage the various levels.
Further, the school shall be administered by one principal for the case of public schools, or director for the case of private schools, who will be assisted by deputies at the different levels.
The school name will reflect the four levels; pre-primary, primary, JSS and SSS – though the bank account names shall be specific to the school levels as is the case now for primary schools and JSSs.
In addition, the guidelines state that the Comprehensive School’s leadership shall develop a common 5-year Strategic Plan whose implementation will be monitored by the County Directors of Education (CDEs) and the Quality Assurance and Standard (QAS) Officers.
The school shall also adopt a common Vision, Mission, Motto and Core Values, which shall be developed in consultation with the school’s community in order to align with the Kenyan education sector aspirations.
Meanwhile, in the interim transition period on management and leadership of JSS, the guidelines have provided that the head teachers are going to be Secretary of the JSS Management Committee, which is a special sub-committee of the primary school Board of Management (BoM) that hosts JSS, while the chairperson shall be a member of the committee.
The special sub-committee will manage the JSS during the transition period between January 1, 2023 and December 30, 2023 in accordance with Section 61 (1) of the Basic Education Act, 2013.
According to the guidelines, the JSS Management Committee (JSS-MC) 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).
The JSS-MC chairperson shall be required to have a secondary school form four certificate and a Certificate of Good Conduct.
In appointing persons as members of the committee, the nominating and appointing authority shall observe and respect the ethnic and regional diversity of the people of Kenya, impartiality and gender equity, and Chapter Six of the Constitution.
Once constituted, the JSS-MC shall perform its functions as stated in Section 59 of the Basic Education Act (2013), which includes policy implementation, management of finances, physical facilities and staff, and guaranteeing learners’ welfare, quality education and school-community relations.
The guidelines also stipulate that all private JSSs shall establish and operationalise relevant educational and governance structures in accordance with the Basic Education Act, 2013, which may include BoMs, Boards of Directors or Boards of Trustees.
All the JSSs shall be required to establish a Parents Association (PA) in accordance with the Basic Education Act (2013), where the head of JSS will serve as secretary.
And in the case of sponsored schools, the guidelines stipulate that the sponsor of the primary school in which the JSS is domiciled shall automatically assume the role of sponsor for the respective JSS.
