Classrooms and teachers crises greet transition to Grade Nine

Makupa Comprehensive School head teacher, Nicholas Odhiambo inspects Grade 9 textbooks, in Mombasa, on January 1, 2024. [Omondi Onyango,Standard] Kenya's education sector is preparing for significant changes as the first cohort of students under the new Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) transitions into Grade 9 this week. However, as the country embarks on this new chapter, challenges loom large. Key among these are shortages of tutors and inadequate infrastructure, which have raised concerns among education stakeholders. Despite the government's assurances that the transition will proceed smoothly, some education experts, parents, and other stakeholders argue that the journey might not be as seamless as promised. First, there is a shortage of qualified teachers, particularly in science subjects, and many junior secondary schools (JSS) remain understaffed. According to Teachers Service Commission (TSC) CEO Nancy Macharia, the government has allocated funding for the recruitment of 20,000 additional teachers to teach Grades 7, 8, and 9. However, this will add only one teacher per school on average, a quota that many feel is insufficient given the scale of the challenges. "We have a crisis on our hands, and we need to find ways to address it," Macharia admitted to the National Assembly Education Committee. One of the major concerns is the shortage of science teachers, with many positions for physics teachers remaining unfilled despite repeated recruitment efforts. Teachers are also worried about their preparedness to handle the new curriculum. "How many teachers are ready to teach Grade 9 learners? Who will teach subjects such as health education?" asked John Waswa, an education consultant. Many teachers currently working in junior secondary schools lack the subject-specific qualifications needed, further compounding concerns about the quality of education. The Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) Secretary General, Akelo Misori, says the transition is clouded by confusion. "The government has not released the criteria to identify the schools to teach sciences, arts, social sciences, or physical education. It is all confusion as we speak," said Misori. Another issue is the management of teachers, as primary school headteachers-who often lack the qualifications to oversee university graduate educators-are being tasked with supervising JSS teachers, raising further questions. On Saturday, however, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba stated that the government will employ 76,928 new teachers for junior secondary schools. Of these, 56,928 will be on permanent and pensionable terms, while 20,000 will be recruited as interns. "We have enough human resources to handle our learners in JSS. Qualified primary school teachers will be deployed to JSS," said Ogamba. He added: "The shortage of teachers is being addressed through retooling. Additionally, we have a plan in place to address the shortage of 20,000 teachers by January 2025." The lack of qualified instructors is compounded by a shortage of teaching facilities, including laboratories and classrooms. The government has been racing against time to build 18,000 new classrooms ahead of the opening of schools. However, progress has been slow. By December, only 3,500 classrooms had been completed, and the construction of 7,500 additional classrooms is underway, with completion rates ranging from 22 to 68 per cent. "To ensure a seamless transition for Grade 9, the government initiated the construction of 16,000 classrooms countrywide in four phases. The completion status thus far is at 93 per cent," said Ogamba. The CS noted that in areas where construction works are not complete, field officers and school heads will find alternatives for learners. "Our field officers and heads of institutions are under instructions to implement temporary measures to ensure that learners are accommodated," he said. "These measures will include using alternative spaces within the school and merging streams where class size allows," added Ogamba. Experts have raised concerns that the government's classroom construction goals are unrealistic, especially with only weeks left before schools reopen. "Why can't the learners transition to our secondary schools, which have adequate facilities like classrooms and laboratories?" questioned Moses Nthurima, Kuppet Vice Secretary-General, pointing out that Form One classrooms would be empty and could be repurposed for Grade 9 students. The Kenya Publishers Association (KPA) chairman Kamau Kiarie has assured that textbooks for Grade 9 will be delivered to schools and will also be available in bookstores.

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