The nation watched in amazement as teachers heckled each other in the State House. As is expected, there was high-level lobbying prior to the rendezvous with the President. Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) took more teachers to State House followed by the second largest teachers’ union, Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet). Knut has more primary teachers while Kuppet comprises post-primary school teachers.
On the day of the meeting, it was obvious that the teachers were divided as predicted following the formation of the second tutors’ union several years ago. The bone of contention was the domiciling of Junior Schools (JSS) formerly Junior Secondary Schools. At the onset of the new curriculum, JS was designed to be hosted in secondary school.
The heckling of Kuppet Secretary General Akello Misori at State House after he suggested that JS should be managed with Senior Schools could easily have been (mis)construed as an objection. However, it could also be attributed to the fact that Knut had more delegates. The Knut delegates are also known to be more vocal than their Kuppet counterparts. Needless to say, the Knut behaviour was crude and went against the ethics of the profession.
On the issue of domiciling JS, it is notable that most secondary schools had already built extra classrooms funded by the Ministry of Education as the first cohort transitioned from primary schools. But in what appeared as a last-minute change of mind, the Presidential Working Party on Educational Reforms recommended in 2023 that JS be an extension of primary school. The initial experts must have had valid reasons for the labelling of this level as JSS and not Senior Primary School.
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While the majority of JS teachers are members of Kuppet by virtue of their post-primary training, Knut appears hell-bent on keeping the units in primary school. Reading from the same script, primary school administrators are also keen on maintaining the status quo.
According to a general observation, it is a power struggle. More students means more capitation and possibly faster promotion. Moreover, it is cheaper for the government if the children remain in primary schools since most are day schools, hence reduced costs.
Another group that has expressed opinions on the domiciling are the JSS teachers who appear disgruntled by their postings. Most are newly employed fresh out of institutions of higher learning. There are tales of misunderstandings with their bosses and colleagues. Having been trained to teach in secondary school, they are now tasked with chores in primary and JSS. Several head teachers argue that the teachers are proud of their qualifications, yet some primary teachers even have doctorates. Others argue that all teachers have equal status regardless of their degrees. All these are side shows which must be resolved.
What are the implications of these wrangles on the Kenyan child and the education sector in general? Are we doing service to the dream of the proponents of competency-based Education (CBE)? Are the teachers well prepared? Are the learners psychologically affected? The goal of CBE was a shift from focus on knowledge to creating an all-round child with the knowledge, skills and attitudes that prepare them for life in the 21st century.
It is too late for a turn about now. A lot of time and resources have been invested in the reforms from 8.4.4 to the 2.6.3.3.3 system. The most important thing now is to decide once and for all where JS should be domiciled.
Dr Chebet is a literature and linguistics scholar.
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By June Chebet