Who Leads Junior School? A Deep dive into TSC’s administrative gaps

For Junior Secondary School to succeed there should be collaboration between JSS teachers and Primary School Leaders.

This can be achieved through clear definition of roles, as overlapping responsibilities often lead to confusion and wastage of both human and physical resources.

However unclear roles have a tendency of creating confusion among students and staff which eventually leads to misunderstanding that can stifle the entire system.

Junior School has experienced a number as challenges, ranging from inadequate facilities and classrooms to insufficient training for teachers to adapt the new curriculum. Other issues include limited resources such as textbooks and learning materials, as well as transition challenges from primary to JSS.

As new as it is, there needs to be a review of the administrative structure of the three learning levels: Early Childhood, Primary and Junior Secondary School to ensure effective administration in these key prime learning areas.

A case in point is that both Junior School and ECDE lack substantive administrators, as their roles are currently assumed by the primary school administration.

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According to the JSS career progression guidelines, diploma holders enter employment at Job Group C1, while graduate teachers begin at Job Group C2.

Diploma teachers will be promoted automatically to C2 after serving three year with the graduate teachers to C3 after serving similar period.

Junior schools will have three administrative positions officially recognized and remunerated by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC).

These include the positions of Senior Master and Deputy Principal. The entry-level administrative role will be Senior Master IV, designated as JSS IV.

Designation and Job Group for Junior Secondary School (JSS) Teachers

Secondary Teacher III  (JSS) CIF

Secondary Teacher II  (JSS) C2G

Secondary Teacher I  (JSS) C3H

Senior Master  IV    (JSS)  C4J

Senior Master  III    (JSS)  C5K

Senior Master  II     (JSS)  DIL

Senior Master   I     (JSS)  D2M

Deputy Principal  IV   (JSS) C5K

Deputy Principal  III   (JSS) D1L

Deputy Principal  II    (JSS) D2M

Deputy Principal  I    (JSS) D3N

Principal                               (JSS)  D3N

Senior Principal     (JSS)  D4P

Chief Principal       (JSS) D5Q

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The above levels clearly show that deputy head teachers are designated as (JSS IV) upon deployment, which is equivalent to the Senior Master IV rank with head teachers serving in Grade C5 hold the title of Senior Master III.

BASIC SALARY

COMMUTER ALLOWANCE

C1 – 4,000

C2 – 5,000

C3 – 6,000

C4 – 8,000

D1 – 12,000

D2 – 12,000

D3 – 14,000

D4 – 14,000

D5 – 16,000

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DISABILITY GUIDE ALLOWANCE

C1 – 20,000

C2 – 20,000

C3- 20,000

C4 – 20,000

C5 – 20,000

D1 – 20,000

D2 – 20,000

D3 – 20,000

D4 – 20,000

D5 – 20,000

LEAVE ALLOWANCE (Paid once a year in January)

C1 – 4,000

C2 – 6,000

C3 – 6,000

C4 – 6,000

C5 – 6,000

D1 – 10,000

D2 – 10,000

D3 – 10,000

D4 – 10,000

D5 – 10,000

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HOUSE ALLOWANCE

Hse1 ,Nairobi Hse2 ,Major Municipalities :Mombasa, Kisumu, Nyeri, Eldoret, Thika, Kisii and Kitale ,Hse3, Other former minor municipalities, Hse4 and all other areas.

C1 –  10,000  7,500  5,800  4,200

C2 – 16,500  12,800  9,600  7,500

C3 – 28,000  22,000  16,500  13,000

C4 – 28,000  22,000  16,500  13,000

C5 – 35,000  25,500  18,000  15,400

D1 – 45,000  28,000  21,000  16,800

D2 – 45,000  28,000  21,000  16,800

D3 – 45,000  28,000  21,000  16,800

D4 – 45,000  28,000  21,000  16,800

D5 – 50,000  35,000  25,000  20,000

HARDSHIP ALLOWANCE

C1 – 8,200

C2 – 10,900

C3 – 12,300

C4 – 14,650

C5 – 17,100

D1 – 27,300

D2 – 27,300

D3 – 31,500

D4 – 31,500

D5 – 38,100

The situation has become increasingly confusing. A serving Deputy Head teacher in C4 grade (Job Group J), who was previously in Job Group L under the former scheme of service, is often overlooked after being deployed to Junior Secondary School. It is assumed that the school does not have a substantive Deputy Head teacher, and as a result, a new Deputy is posted to the same station.

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For a Head teacher promoted to teach in Junior Secondary School, the equivalent designation is JSS III, which is still at the level of a Senior Master ,not even at the level of a Deputy Principal or Principal.

Both letters issued to the promoted Deputy and Head teachers indicate that they are still considered junior teachers, meaning they are far from being principals in their respective schools.

The teacher’s employer must clarify when and from where the administrators/ principals of Junior Secondary School will come from because as it stands, all Junior Secondary Schools have a power vacuum which is very unsafe.

What would happen if head teachers in C5 and deputies in C4 woke up one day to find that the employer had posted a principal and deputy principal to their schools?

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Sadly, teachers who attended interviews for JSS positions while in grades C4, C5 or even D1 did not gain any monetary benefits; instead, they lost their legitimate titles, transitioning from Deputy Head teacher to Senior Teacher.

This completely discouraged certified and talented teachers from even applying for any position in Junior Secondary School.

The teacher’s employer has this option, either to promote the existing administrators to that prime level or post principals and deputy principals to these schools so that proper administrative structures can be in place.

When is the teacher’s employer expected to establish clear structures that promote the interests of Junior Secondary School?

Going by the current trend, existing JSS teachers may have to work for over 39 years to attain principal status, assuming they are promoted every three years.

If all matters remain constant and going by the unfolding trends, those working as Senior Masters, would have to wait for about 30 years to reach the level of Principal.

By Hillary Muhalya