By Emmanuel Gwakoi
Private Junior Secondary Schools (JSSs) are calling on the government to also post JSS teachers in their schools as in public schools to ease the financial burden on their institutions.
Led by Kenya Private Schools Association (KPSA) Kisii branch Chairman, Mogendi Tamaro, the school owners cited challenges acquiring graduate and diploma teachers specialized in JSS.
He also stated that the expensive nature of setting up laboratories, equipping them and employing laboratory technicians was a huge burden for the private institutions.
“Managers of some private schools are struggling to comply with the government’s requirements to offer JSS education. If they will not be supported, they will close down or offer poor services,” Mogendi asserted.
At the same time, Tamaro who is also the Director at Tabaka Academy in South Mugirango, Kisii County, appealed to the government to extend capitation to private schools to allow them spare extra funds to equip their existing facilities as well as pay teachers well.
Mogendi supported the government’s move to retain boarding schools, saying it was cheaper to have learners as boarders than having them as day scholars, noting that much time was wasted on the road to and from school.
He disclosed that his school had set aside three classes for JSS, a computer laboratory and a workshop specifically tailored for the Competency-Based Curriculum.
