Primary Heads Demand Confirmation as JSS Principals
Primary school headteachers are urging the National government to officially appoint them as principals of Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) operating under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC). Despite having assumed the role of principals for students transitioning to Grade 7 throughout the year, their confirmation in this capacity is still pending.
During the official opening of the 20th Kenya Primary School Headteachers Association (Kepsha) annual delegates conference in Sheikh Zayed Hall, Mombasa, Kepsha’s national chairperson, Johnson Nzioka, stressed the importance of their formal appointment as principals for Junior Secondary Schools.
Nzioka stated, “Our request to the Cabinet Secretary (Education) is just one: to have the current primary school headteachers confirmed as principals of junior school. Considering that we have served in this position through the interim transition period and have therefore amassed the necessary expertise to steer the full transition to a Comprehensive School, from stand-alone pre-primary, primary, and Junior secondary schools.”
The Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms, led by Prof Raphael Munavu, had recommended a comprehensive school system where Pre-primary to Grade 9 would be managed as a single institution with a single head and two deputies. The task force also proposed the integration of Junior Secondary School (Grades 7, 8, and 9) into primary schools.
Primary Heads Demand Confirmation as JSS Principals
Nzioka argued that a comprehensive school setup offers a seamless progression from pre-primary to primary and Junior Secondary levels, thereby improving the quality of the learning experience and enabling a smooth academic transition. He emphasized that a unified leadership structure could promote consistent management and coordination across different educational levels, ensuring alignment in school policies, curriculum programs, and teaching methodologies.
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Such an approach could consolidate resources, promote the sharing of facilities, staff, and instructional materials, resulting in cost savings and more efficient resource allocation in the long run. Nzioka also highlighted the potential benefits of closer collaboration among teachers and administrators across various educational levels, allowing for the exchange of best practices and collective efforts toward common educational objectives.
