President Ruto fails to clear air on transition to junior high

President William Ruto failed to give a definite date on when to inform an anxious public on how learners in Grade Six will transit to junior secondary school (JSS) less than two months before schools open.

Dr Ruto, who is expected to make known the recommendations of the Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms (PWPER) and clear the air for the learners now undertaking their national examinations, only said he would make the announcement “shortly”.

He was speaking yesterday at Joseph Kang’ethe Primary School in Kibra, Nairobi County when he went to monitor the administration of the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) and Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) examinations. 

JSS was introduced in the framework of the competency-based curriculum (CBC).

“Shortly, we’ll be agreeing on how to transit into the next level. A decision is going to be made in the very short-term so that you can know next year, especially those who’re in Grade Six, how they’ll move and transit into the next level,” Dr Ruto said.

However, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua appeared to say that the President could make the announcement on Friday this week.

“This Friday, we’ll be giving the way forward after the President receives an interim report on how we proceed with this CBC and other reforms,” Mr Gachagua said at Komarock Primary School where he witnessed the start of Day Two examinations. 

"Fine-tuning"

The Daily Nation understands that the PWPER that is chaired by Prof Raphael Munavu presented the preliminary report to Mr Gachagua last week where it had to go through some “fine-tuning” before being handed over to the President.

There has been debate and speculation about the domiciling and hosting of junior secondary school (JSS), which comprises Grades Seven and Eight.

The government has been cautious not to make any pronouncement before the Grade Six learners complete their assessment today.

On Monday, Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu also sought to allay fears that learners and their families would wait for long before learning their fate but left it to the President to make the announcement.

“Whatever anxiety we have as parents will be settled soon. We will know where the young ones will be domiciled, whether in primary or secondary. We have enough schools for junior secondary schools whether they will be placed in primary or secondary. We have enough facilities where Grade Seven will be domiciled,” he said while monitoring the examinations in Mombasa. 

Under the Jubilee administration, it was clear that JSS would be domiciled in the secondary school structure but it remains to be seen whether President Ruto will reverse the decision. 

The Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) and the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) have differed over the issue although they agree that the country needs to rethink boarding schools and embrace day schooling.

While at the school, Dr Ruto said that the Ministry of Education will ensure all candidates are given opportunities to do their examinations in a safe environment with no interruptions.

Other top government officials who were at the function included Interior CS Kithure Kindiki, Knec CEO David Njeng’ere, TSC boss Nancy Macharia, TSC chairman Jamleck Muturi and Josphat Nanok, the deputy chief of staff.

The second day of the examinations also saw the Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi supervise the examinations at Kilimani Primary school in Nairobi while Mr Eliud Owalo, the CS for Information, Communications and the Digital Economy, was at Ndararua Primary School in Dagoretti Sub-County.

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