Makueni County Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) Executive Secretary Justus Kimeu has called on the primary school head teachers to stop intimidating Junior Secondary School (JSS) teachers and instead treat them well.
Kimeu echoed TSC CEO Dr Nancy Macharia’s words three months ago in a conference with primary school heads, where she called upon school heads to treat the JSS well.
“You see, this is not the case now. The heads are fighting the JSS instead of mentoring and treating them well. I will urge that this stop henceforth,” Kimeu said.
He noted that the JSS had made numerous complaints that they are not involved in planning the JSS classes and their welfare and that remedial work is paying little, considering that the government outlawed remedies and that teachers are being threatened with showcase letters.
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“In one of the schools, the teachers are agitated by the amount of money being collected from parents, which is a lot compared to what they are getting. There are 775 JSS learners, and each pays 1500, yet they only get 200 in the morning and 300 per hour on Saturday,” Kimeu said.
The JSS teachers are denied the responsibility of being class teachers of their classes and instead given to P1 teachers.
He cited a well-known primary school in Makindu, where there is no single JSS teacher handling grades 7 and 8; grade 9 has four JSS teachers and one intern.
The school has five trained and retooled JSS teachers who have been denied the chance to handle JSS classes. Moreover, 18 P1 teachers teach grade 9 in the absence of the JSS, yet they are not authorized to teach JSS.
Kimeu called upon teachers to read the code of conduct, Basic Education Act, code of relations, and any other legislation to stand for their rights without fear.
He assured them of union support for all the challenges as they continue implementing the CBC curriculum.
By Lydia Ngoolo
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