Teachers across the country are raising their voices, demanding that Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) be separated from primary institutions. Their concern is that the current arrangement is creating confusion in management, teaching, and learning, threatening the future of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).
The debate recently intensified after the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) presented the issue to President William Ruto at State House. KUPPET Secretary General Akello Misori stressed that unless JSS is given full autonomy, the CBC will not achieve its intended goals.
One of the major concerns is the heavy workload teachers in JSS are forced to handle. Many of them teach as many as 45 lessons per week, almost double what their counterparts in primary schools teach. This has left teachers overstretched and demoralized, while learners risk receiving low-quality instruction due to teacher fatigue.
Additionally, teachers argue that merging JSS with primary schools has created unnecessary confusion. Administrative structures remain tied to the primary section, limiting efficiency. Even co-curricular activities and sports programmes are poorly coordinated, leaving junior secondary students disadvantaged. According to KUPPET, the identity of JSS has been swallowed up under primary schools, eroding the vision of CBC that was meant to give learners in Grades 7 to 9 a distinct experience.
The union insists that creating independent Junior Secondary institutions is the only solution. With their own administration, sports structures, and specialized teaching environment, JSS can deliver on its mandate of preparing learners for senior secondary and beyond. Teachers also believe that separation will restore professional fairness, ensuring that workloads are balanced and teachers are properly motivated.
The call for separating JSS from primary schools is more than a labor demand — it is a plea to protect the quality of education. Teachers are warning that if their concerns continue to be ignored, the future of the CBC and the learners it is meant to serve may be in jeopardy. The ball is now in the government’s court to act and provide clarity on the direction of Junior Secondary education.
