The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has maintained a firm stand against deploying primary school teachers to handle Junior Secondary School (JSS) classes, insisting that the level of content offered under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) can only be delivered by teachers with specialized academic training.
According to the commission, teaching in JSS demands a university graduate who has specialised in at least two teaching subjects, as outlined in the approved curriculum design.
TSC argues that learning areas in JSS are broader, deeper, and require subject mastery that goes beyond the pedagogical training offered in primary teacher education colleges.
The Commission notes that while primary school teachers are highly skilled in foundational learning and early-grade pedagogy, their training does not align with the academic rigor and subject-specific requirements needed in JSS.
As a result, TSC says it cannot authorize their deployment without compromising the quality of education learners receive.
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This comes amid an ongoing national debate on the staffing crisis in JSS, with teacher unions and various stakeholders urging the government to consider redeploying trained primary school teachers to fill existing gaps.
Many schools across the country continue to struggle with inadequate staffing, a situation that has raised concerns from parents and school heads.
However, TSC maintains that lowering qualification standards would undermine the objectives of CBC and negatively impact learners transitioning through the middle school structure.
The commission insists that only teachers with degree-level specialization have the necessary competencies to deliver the curriculum effectively.
By Philip Koech
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