TSC Turns to Primary Teachers to Address Junior Secondary School Crisis.
Primary school heads of institutions are currently attending sub-county meetings nationwide to deliberate on various issues for the first term following the reopening of schools earlier this week.
One key issue emerging from the discussions is the recommendation for primary school teachers to assist in teaching Junior Secondary School (JSS) learners in Grades 7, 8, and 9 to address the existing teacher shortage.
Despite a previous directive by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) prohibiting primary teachers from working in JSS without formal deployment, the Commission has now turned to these teachers for support amidst the crisis.
TSC’s Shift on Deployment Policy
On December 27th, TSC refuted the validity of a circular that allegedly barred primary teachers from handling JSS duties, terming it fake and advising teachers to disregard it.
However, the current shortage has compelled TSC to authorize primary headteachers, who are acting as JSS principals, to allocate JSS lessons to primary school teachers.
The Commission has also announced plans to deploy teachers gradually over the course of the year.
TSC aims to deploy at least 6,000 qualified primary school teachers to JSS in 2024 as part of efforts to address the deficit of 72,422 teachers.
An online portal will soon be activated for teachers to apply for deployment. Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos indicated that qualified primary school teachers would be progressively deployed to ensure adequate staffing in JSS.
Current Staffing Levels and Retooling Efforts
According to TSC CEO Dr. Nancy Macharia, the Commission currently employs 76,928 teachers in JSS, covering only 51.5% of the required workforce of 149,350.
So far, 8,378 primary school teachers have been redeployed to JSS since 2019. Additionally, 20,000 interns, hired on one-year terms at a cost of KSh 4.8 billion, will undergo retooling in January.
Since April 2019, TSC has retooled 229,292 teachers on the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) and Competency-Based Assessment (CBA), with 60,642 of them specifically trained for JSS between May 2023 and November 2024.
TSC has outlined strict criteria for primary school teachers seeking deployment to JSS, including a minimum mean grade of C+ in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) and at least a C+ in two teaching subjects.
Furthermore, the Commission plans to deploy excess secondary school teachers to JSS starting this year. Secondary school principals have been instructed to submit details of teachers employed since 2016 to facilitate this process.
Impending Transition and Classroom Preparedness
As the transition to Grade 9 begins in January 2025, TSC anticipates thousands of secondary school teachers becoming idle due to the absence of Form One classes, given the ongoing CBC implementation.
These teachers will be deployed to JSS schools near their current stations, with placement based on subject clusters.
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CS Migos reported that 14,880 classrooms are ready for Grade 9 learners, with 93% of the 16,000 classrooms planned under the government’s construction initiative already completed.
This phased construction aims to ensure a seamless transition for learners entering Grade 9.
Since 2019, the Commission has been deploying P1 teachers as a form of promotion in response to complaints of career stagnation among those who upgraded their qualifications.
Between 2019 and 2024, a total of 8,378 teachers have been deployed to support the first cohorts of CBC in JSS.
Conclusion
As the government seeks solutions to address the teacher shortage in JSS, the deployment of both primary and secondary school teachers appears to be a central strategy.
However, meeting the staffing requirements will demand a sustained effort to ensure the success of CBC and the seamless transition of learners.
TSC Turns to Primary Teachers to Address Junior Secondary School Crisis
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