Lawmakers are advocating for a new leadership structure in Junior Secondary Schools, proposing that principals be appointed to manage the institutions and ensure proper governance and administration.
The move aims to clarify management roles and improve access to learning resources and co-curricular programs.
The proposal emerged from the legislators’ fourth retreat in Naivasha, where they discussed ways to strengthen the leadership of schools under the Junior Secondary School system.
According to the lawmakers, having dedicated principals would provide clear guidance, better organisation, and a framework for accessing specialised facilities.
“The Ministry of Education should review the governance and management framework of Junior Secondary Schools with a view to clarifying autonomy, leadership structures, including feasibility of deploying principals to Junior Secondary Schools, and access to specialised facilities and co-curricular programmes,” the document detailing the reforms states.
If adopted, the recommendations would address long-standing calls from Junior Secondary School teachers for a separate administrative system from lower primary schools. They argue that autonomy is essential to improve financial management and overall school operations.
Teachers have raised concerns about the shortage of functional laboratories, unclear career pathways, and the uncertain status of 20,000 interns in the Junior Secondary School system. They warn that resolving these issues is critical to avoid disruptions in the sector.
The proposal has received backing from the Kenya Association of Junior School Teachers, the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET), and over 50,000 educators who advocate for the recognition of Junior Secondary Schools as a distinct education level.
The teachers’ group notes that placing Junior Secondary Schools under primary school leadership has limited professional development opportunities and slowed career progression. Many teachers, about 20,000, remain on non-permanent internship terms due to budget constraints, missing out on full employment benefits.
Despite this, the Kenya National Union of Teachers has previously opposed autonomy for Junior Secondary Schools, referring to earlier recommendations by the Presidential Working Party on Education Reform.
Supporters argue that independent management would not only simplify administration but also strengthen the implementation of the 2-6-3-3-3 Competency-Based Curriculum framework.
The MPs also urged the Ministry of Education to enforce transparency in school fees, calling for clear standards to stop illegal charges and hidden levies that parents currently face. They want the Basic Education Act, 2013, revised to introduce penalties, including criminal sanctions, for school leaders who breach approved fee structures.
Additionally, the legislators recommended the full implementation of the National Policy on School Uniforms and the School Lunch Programme, measures aimed at reducing costs for parents. They emphasised the importance of tackling corruption and regulating charges related to school uniforms and services to ensure fairness and compliance.
