- Magoha clarified that if schools implement this plan, then they will deal with the stiff competition that is always witnessed at the end of primary school.
- MECHS School principal Eunice Muthusi committed to ensuring the classes are CBC compliant by the first week of July.
The Ministry of Education is now mulling toward the retention of primary school learners in the same schools as they transit to junior secondary.
Education CS George Magoha is now pushing for the implementation of this idea in private schools.
If private schools adopt this idea, learners will transit to the same school for junior secondary.
Magoha was speaking at Moi Educational Center High school (MECHS)where he launched a CBC classroom on Monday.
“For the parents who have children in private schools to retain them in junior secondary schools that are within the same primary school,” Magoha said.
Magoha clarified that if schools implement this plan then they will deal with the stiff competition that is always witnessed at the end of primary school.
“So that the cut-throat competition that comes after standard 8 are postponed to year 9 which is senior secondary,” he said.
While inspecting the classrooms at MECHS, Magoha lauded the school for availing sufficient infrastructure for junior secondary learners.
“Why don’t these classes have cabinets or storage lockers because CBC is full of activities and the kids cannot be carrying their items back home daily,” he said.
Magoha gave the school two weeks to complete the construction of storage lockers using any available materials.
“I have visited their laboratories which are very many in number that is they are twelve and in my opinion they are underutilized,” Magoha said.
MECHS School principal Eunice Muthusi committed to ensuring the classes are CBC compliant by the first week of July.
“We promise that we will ensure the classes are compliant with the needs of the curriculum in two weeks,” Muthusi said.
The ministry is almost finishing a platform where applications for junior secondary will be conducted.
Magoha urged private schools to take part in the placement formula by allowing students to select from their category.
According to Kenya Private Schools Association Chair Charles Ochome, the sector has already constructed 1,296 classrooms out of the target of 5,000 classes.
In terms of public schools, 6,497 classrooms have so far been constructed in the first phase.
Magoha said most counties are at 97 per cent construction apart from a few counties in Western and rift valley regions.
More than 1.2 million students are currently in Grade 6 and will join Junior secondary in 2023.
Image: LAURA SHATUMA