Upon returning from their half-term break, Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) across the country have embarked on an unusual mission to highlight the disturbing and poor state of their schools, commonly referred to as “bases.”
What began as a single teacher’s frustration over the lack of a modern gate in his school soon snowballed into a widespread expose about the conditions of primary schools housing junior schools.
The expose, shared on major teachers’ platforms, Mutai Mtandao and Duke Joseph, has sent shockwaves through headteachers’ leadership in various counties.
Reports suggest that some headteachers hastily convened board meetings to discuss immediate actions in response to the revelations.
The teachers, both digitally savvy and fearless, brought attention to critical issues such as the lack of WiFi, electricity, morning gates, water dispensers, computer rooms, dust coats, and proper sanitation facilities like flushed toilets.
These issues were expressed with urgency, with the teachers demanding swift intervention. Some even threatened to escalate the matter by filing complaints with the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) over the headteachers’ alleged misuse of JSS capitation funds.
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The mention of EACC has prompted action among some headteachers, with those overseeing poorly developed schools hastily working to address the concerns raised by their teachers.
One junior JSS defended their actions, saying, “This can’t be insubordination. We are just trying to bring sanity to financial management in our schools. Supervisors need to understand that this new crop of teachers cares deeply about the development of our schools.”
Education News has learned that JSS teachers plan to challenge the subcounty and county school audit offices for their poor oversight, which they believe has allowed headteachers to mismanage school funds.
One teacher from Kajiado County shared their frustration, saying, “Since I joined this school, I’ve never seen an auditor come to review the school’s books. This has given my headteacher free rein to do as they please, often micromanaging the school board, leading to the poor development of the school.”
As JSS teachers display a paradigm shift in school management, Education News is closely monitoring the actions of the Teachers Service Commission (TSC).
The TSC may need to address the teachers’ defiant stance, which contradicts the Teachers’ Code of Conduct.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education appears to have recruited a team of internal auditors to curb the rampant misuse of funds in public primary schools.
By Kaptich Tarus.
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