In recent months, a significant conversation has emerged among educators, teacher unions, and policymakers in Kenya: Should Junior Secondary School (JSS) teachers be transferred en masse to senior secondary schools as part of the Competency‑Based Education (CBE) reforms?
This question, far from being a simple administrative matter, has evolved into a complex debate about professionalism, learner outcomes, institutional autonomy, and the future trajectory of Kenya’s education system. Since the inception of CBE in 2017, the country has gradually restructured the learning landscape, placing learners on more structured pathways, emphasising practical skills, and prioritising competencies over rote memorisation.
With the first cohort of learners preparing to transition from Grade 9 to Grade 10 in 2026, attention has increasingly focused on how teachers, especially those at the JSS level, are deployed, supported, and trained.
At the centre of the discussion is the Kenya Union of Post‑Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET). The union has been vocal in its advocacy for the mass transfer of JSS teachers into senior secondary schools, citing professional misalignment and poor working conditions in their current placements. Many JSS teachers are trained at the secondary level yet find themselves teaching in primary school environments, which undermines both their professional identity and instructional efficacy.
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KUPPET proposes that Grade 9 and all JSS classes be based in senior secondary schools alongside the upper grades, leaving only Grades 7 and 8 in primary settings. Proponents argue that the existing arrangement, where JSS teachers contend with inappropriate supervision, limited authority, and minimal opportunities for professional growth, is unsustainable. Many JSS educators share staffrooms with primary colleagues, attend meetings irrelevant to adolescent learning, and operate under headteachers whose expertise is primarily in early childhood education. According to KUPPET, this structure dilutes morale, creates professional frustration, and hampers effective delivery of the CBE curriculum.
The union’s position is not merely about professional satisfaction. There is a practical dimension to their argument, grounded in staffing realities and the ongoing need to prepare for the 2026 learner transition. The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) and the Ministry of Education have embarked on large-scale teacher training programs to support CBE implementation. Hundreds of thousands of teachers are undergoing professional development to equip them with the skills required for senior secondary education. Transferring JSS teachers could help mitigate anticipated shortages in senior classrooms, enabling better utilisation of existing human resources while simultaneously aligning teacher expertise with the level of instruction expected.
Despite these arguments, the proposal has sparked contention. The Kenya Junior Secondary Teachers Association (KEJUSTA) has emerged as a leading voice against mass transfers. KEJUSTA champions the full autonomy of JSS as a distinct educational level, arguing that transferring large numbers of teachers into senior schools risks destabilising the nascent junior secondary tier. They emphasise the importance of maintaining a coherent administrative identity for JSS, one that recognises its unique pedagogical needs and developmental focus. With nearly 100,000 JSS teachers currently on the ground, KEJUSTA warns that relocating all of them to senior schools could leave junior secondary classes understaffed unless replacement hires are carefully coordinated. The logistical challenges, therefore, are significant, and the debate extends beyond teacher relocation to the broader issue of sustaining high-quality learning across all levels.
The administrative identity of JSS forms another central pillar of the discussion. Since the introduction of CBE, JSS has largely been housed within primary schools and overseen by primary school headteachers. Teachers argue that this configuration fails to recognise the unique developmental and academic needs of learners aged roughly 13 to 15. JSS students straddle the boundary between upper primary foundational learning and early specialization for senior secondary education.
Advocates for autonomy suggest that JSS should have its own leadership structures-principals, deputies, and department heads capable of addressing the distinct academic, social, and emotional needs of adolescents. Without such structures, critics argue, relocating teachers to senior schools merely addresses a superficial problem while leaving the deeper issues of governance and identity unresolved.
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The debate also has important implications for teachers’ pay, professional roles, and career progression. Senior secondary schools demand a higher level of subject specialization, greater accountability, and active participation in preparation for national summative assessments such as the Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA) and senior secondary placement processes. For JSS teachers, moving into senior schools could open pathways to deeper subject expertise, leadership positions like department head or senior master, and enhanced professional recognition.
It could represent a genuine career upgrade, aligning responsibilities with skills, offering mentorship opportunities, and creating pathways to higher pay scales. However, these potential gains depend heavily on the existence of systemic supports such as targeted professional development, structured mentoring programs, and clear career progression frameworks. Without these supports, teachers may find themselves facing increased pressure and expectations that could outweigh the benefits of relocation.
Remuneration is another critical aspect. Many JSS teachers have previously served under short-term or internship contracts, and government action in late 2025 sought to regularise these positions, granting permanent and pensionable status to JSS intern teachers after two years. While this move is intended to provide job security and professional dignity, transferring teachers to senior schools could introduce new workload challenges. Senior school teachers are often expected to dedicate more time to lesson preparation, student performance tracking, and subject-specific content delivery. Without a corresponding review of pay scales and workload expectations, teachers could face longer hours and heavier responsibilities without commensurate compensation. Simultaneously, teachers remaining in JSS might feel undervalued if opportunities for career progression are concentrated at the senior school level, creating potential morale issues within the teaching workforce.
The debate is not only about teachers; it has profound implications for learners. JSS teachers serve as critical bridges between upper primary and lower secondary education, providing both foundational support and early exposure to specialized content. Disrupting the continuity of teacher-student relationships through abrupt transfers could weaken the support system learners rely upon to navigate this transitional period. On the other hand, strategically integrating JSS teachers into senior schools could enhance curriculum continuity and strengthen instructional coherence across grades 9 through 12, provided that senior schools are prepared to absorb additional staff effectively and maintain optimal teacher-student ratios.
Underlying these discussions is a broader question of systemic capacity. Kenya continues to face teacher shortages across all levels of education. TSC recruitment statistics indicate that although substantial numbers of teachers have been hired for primary and junior secondary levels, significant gaps remain. Redeploying teachers without simultaneously recruiting new staff could exacerbate these shortages, compromising learning quality and undermining the intended benefits of CBE reforms. The debate, therefore, reflects a broader tension between centralised policy planning and teacher and learner agency. Unions like KUPPET argue for pragmatic solutions that recognise teacher qualifications and improve working conditions, while associations like KEJUSTA advocate for structural reforms that maintain JSS autonomy and ensure coherent governance. Both positions have merit and underscore the importance of multi-stakeholder consultation among teachers, school leaders, parents, and policymakers.
Parents, too, have voiced concerns regarding the impact of teacher deployment on learner outcomes. Many insist that any mass transfer of JSS teachers must be accompanied by enhanced teacher training for senior secondary teaching, noting that past transitions in CBE implementation were hampered by shortages and inadequate preparation. Their perspective highlights a critical consideration: education reform is as much about learners as it is about teachers. Decisions regarding staffing should therefore balance the professional development of teachers with the academic, social, and emotional needs of students navigating key transitional stages in their education.
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Another dimension to consider is the potential impact on learning equity. JSS teachers often work in underserved or rural schools where access to senior secondary institutions may be limited. Transferring teachers predominantly to well-resourced urban senior schools could inadvertently widen educational disparities, leaving some JSS learners without qualified teachers. Ensuring equitable deployment of teachers must therefore be a central consideration in any policy decision. This calls for a phased, well-planned approach that prioritises both human resource efficiency and equitable learning opportunities.
The debate also raises broader questions about the future of Kenya’s education system and the long-term sustainability of CBE reforms. Critics argue that if the system cannot effectively integrate JSS teachers into senior schools or sustain JSS autonomy, there may be a partial reversion to previous education structures such as the 8-4-4 or 7-4-2-3 systems. Such a rollback would signal the challenges inherent in implementing systemic reforms while navigating logistical, professional, and pedagogical complexities. Policymakers, therefore, must weigh short-term fixes against long-term systemic goals, ensuring that reforms strengthen the education system rather than create new vulnerabilities.
In conclusion, the question of whether JSS teachers should be transferred to senior schools is complex and multifaceted. It involves balancing professional aspirations, institutional needs, learner continuity, equitable access, and practical staffing realities. The solution must be nuanced, combining clear career pathways, fair and reviewed pay structures, robust professional development, and phased implementation strategies. The debate is ultimately less about moving teachers between classrooms and more about how Kenya’s education system values its educators and prioritises learner success.
As the rollout of CBE continues, policymakers at the Ministry of Education must ensure that reforms in staffing not only address immediate gaps but also build a sustainable, coherent pathway for teacher development and learner achievement. The final determination will rest with these policymakers, but the discussion itself reflects a broader national commitment to professionalizing teaching, strengthening learning outcomes, and ensuring that education reforms are responsive, inclusive, and forward-looking.
By Hillary Muhalya
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