The Government has renamed all Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) in the country as “Comprehensive Schools.”
Education Cabinet Secretary, Ezekiel Machogu, announced this during the opening of the 2023 Kenya Primary School Head Teachers Association (KEPSHA) event at the Sheikh Zayed Children Welfare Centre in Mombasa County.
“Under this new nomenclature, Primary School Head teachers in Comprehensive Schools have been designated as principals, entrusted with the administration of education in these institutions,” he stated.
Machogu disclosed that students in Comprehensive Schools will receive capitation grants of Ksh. 15,000 annually, while those in senior day secondary schools will continue to receive Ksh. 22,000 each year.
He assured that there would be no increase in school fees for senior secondary schools, maintaining the existing payment structures.
Dr. Belio Kipsang, the Basic Education Ministry Principal Secretary, addressed the ongoing efforts to reposition headteachers in Comprehensive Schools into new job groups or salary scales.
He commended the dedication of teachers, attributing the success of the 2023 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examination administration to their commitment.
“Teachers to sustain their efforts, emphasizing the pivotal role headteachers play in the nation’s educational development,” Dr. Kipsang stated.
National Chairman of KEPSHA, Mr. Johnson Nzioka, urged headteachers to promptly update school signboards to reflect the new designation of “Comprehensive Schools.”
KEPSHA delegates, including KNUT Secretary General Mr. Collins Oyuu, advocated for the confirmation of Comprehensive Schools Head Teachers as full-fledged Principals.
They also called for an increase in capitation grants, citing its inadequacy for effective school operations, and emphasized the urgent need for additional teachers to address the identified shortage.
In endorsing the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), the delegates affirmed its alignment with the educational trajectory, particularly in facilitating early-stage learning within the home environment.
By Tsozungu Kombe
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