EMBU, Kenya, Sep 21 — Junior Secondary School (JSS) teachers in Embu County are demanding full autonomy from primary schools, arguing that the current arrangement has exposed them to mistreatment, intimidation, and poor working conditions under primary school heads.
The teachers, under the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET), say the integration of JSS into primary schools has fueled hostility, with some supervisors perceiving them as rivals rather than colleagues.
Led by KUPPET Branch Executive Secretary Jacob Karura, the teachers petitioned the Government and the National Assembly to enact legislation granting JSS independent boards, administration, and governance frameworks.
They argue that such autonomy is critical to safeguarding their careers, restoring their professional dignity, and securing the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).
“The merger of pre-primary, primary, and junior secondary under one administration undermines the 2-6-3-3-3 design, which was built on the principle that each stage of learning should stand on its own,” County JSS Interim Chair David Ngari said.
Karura warned that teachers are prepared to strike or move to court if their concerns are ignored, saying the toxic environment not only threatens their profession but also risks derailing CBC implementation.
Among their demands are the ring-fencing of resources allocated to JSS, and urgent construction and equipping of specialized facilities such as laboratories and ICT hubs to improve learning outcomes.