Post: Nyeri Joins in Countrywide Calls for Autonomy of Junior Schools

Nairobi: Teachers of Junior Secondary Schools in Nyeri County have joined their counterparts in different parts of the country in their calls to have Junior Secondary Schools operate as independent institutions. Speaking during a press briefing in Nyeri town on Sunday, the teachers said that Junior Schools, which marked the third level of education under the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) and which cover Grades 7-9, should be viewed as autonomous entities.According to Kenya News Agency, the teachers are now calling on the government to immediately establish an independent administrative structure which will be responsible for supporting the Junior Schools to operate as stand-alone institutions, separate from Primary School where they are currently domiciled. Kimathi Peter, the Interim Chairman of the Nyeri Junior Secondary Teachers Association, emphasized that their demand is not about moving to Senior Schools, but about establishing Junior Schools as independent entities with their own administrative st ructure to effectively implement CBC.Kimathi also highlighted the financial challenges faced by Junior Schools, noting that despite having separate bank accounts and Boards of Management, they rely on primary school heads for funding. He criticized the merging of capitation accounts, which has led to a lack of essential resources like laboratories and computers. Kimathi called for resources to be ring-fenced exclusively for Junior Schools.Additionally, Kimathi urged the Teachers Service Commission to deploy more teachers and employ intern teachers on permanent terms, as the current workload distribution is overwhelming. He pointed out the need for additional staffing to ensure that the specialized needs of the curriculum are met.Angela Mumbi, a tutor and member of the Nyeri Junior Secondary Teachers Association, criticized the government's allowance of commercial exams, which are costly for parents and detract from learning time. She proposed that Junior School teachers be allowed to set their own opene r and midterm exams while using School Based Assessments as end-of-term exams.Supporting these calls, Francis Wanjohi, the Nyeri Branch Executive Secretary for the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers, urged the government to urgently address the challenges faced by Junior School teachers. He stressed that recognizing Junior Schools as independent tiers is crucial for ensuring quality education under the Competency Based Education system. Wanjohi expressed hope that the government would heed the teachers' demands for the betterment of learners' education.