It is misconstrued that most Junior Secondary School (JSS) teachers are inherently difficult and are out to cause mayhem in schools. It’s also wise to give leadership roles in JSS to school administrators who have full and clear understanding of the learning process at this unique level.
Recently, during the KEPSHA conference in Mombasa, head teachers were promised an additional grade to the level of principal. This is indeed long overdue owing to the fact that JSS has been in place for 2 years now.
An extra grade to administrators may however be in vain if the head teachers lack a clear understanding of the JSS curriculum and aren’t fully equipped with knowledge and skills as well as the ability to effectively teach at this advanced level.
During this short dispensation of two years, we have all witnessed bottlenecks in the administration of schools, which has seen primary school heads administering with an iron fist and denying all forms of correction and critiques from any quarter.
These inferiority and superiority complexes may not encourage positive productivity but continuous animosity and bad blood between the two echelons of school administration.
According to an interview with teachers who sought anonymity, a confirmation has been made that, “It is not well”. Some head teachers are grossly abhorrent of the JSS teachers who would give divergent views as pertains the need for head teachers to practise a bit of transparency on issues, especially financial management, most of which are done covertly.
Some are even wondering why some heads would go ahead and sign concessions on their behalf without their consent.
It’s very significant to note that domiciling JSS in primary school has made JSS and primary school teachers conscious of their basic rights. These has led to both parties being dissatisfied and are as such teaching under duress.
When the media visited a number of schools, it was found that only a few disclose the amounts that are received from the Ministry of Education. The heads of institutions manage the finances as if they belong to them and any expenditure is only a favour from the school board and the head.
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According to a closer interrogation, the disgruntled teachers appear to suggest that there was maladministration in most institutions and that the administrators are like sacred cows who are well linked to politicians and bigwigs and are even feared by the curriculum officers.
Something robust should be seriously done to correct this mess, otherwise most public schools will end up in the drain.
There are also claims that some of the head teachers run businesses and spend very limited time in school. They are suspicious of any congregation and discussion by the teachers, often employing undercover agents who periodically furnish them with information.
It’s indeed unfortunate to note that these administrators have a few or no lessons while demanding that teachers must attend theirs.
In the 1990s, nobody was interested in headship, but after a structure for head teachers was developed, so many teachers without sound administrative abilities sought administrative positions into the coveted positions.
At the moment, there are so many challenges affecting schools which require focussed administrators, including lack of motivation among teachers and learners, overcrowded classrooms, dilapidated school facilities and equipment, and improper placement of teachers.
Junior School has been indeed designed to ensure that the bridge between primary and secondary school is safe, strong and consistent.
Our government has so far done a wonderful job by engaging over 120,000 teachers in Junior School, 124,000 in Secondary, 220,000 in primary and 40,000 in ECDE. There is a total of about 500,000 active teachers according to the demographic survey of 2022.
A P1 teacher cannot effectively manage all these areas. According to the presidential education reforms committee, there should be a quasi-autonomous section within a school.
Nigeria has had similar challenges and what was observed is that an improper administrative layout led to brain drain and that’s why you will find many competent Ghanaians and Nigerians working away from their homes.
If the Kenyan new curriculum implementation process has to be realized, proper recognition and promotion according to education level has to be done to ensure that merit is observed.
By Hillary Khamati
The author is a seasoned writer on education matters.
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