October 14, 2025

newsline

Timely – Precise – Factual

CS Ogamba: All JSS Teachers Have Been Retooled for Competency Curriculum

Plans are underway to reform Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) to address persistent challenges facing the new level of education, including issues of independence, staffing, and structural framework.

Speaking on Wednesday, October 1, at Parliament Buildings, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos Ogamba told the Senate that the Ministry is committed to reviewing the JSS system to effectively respond to concerns raised by teachers, parents, and lawmakers.

He noted that while the Government is currently implementing JSS in line with the recommendations of the Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms, consultations remain ongoing.

“The process of reforming Junior Secondary to respond to emerging concerns is in progress. At the appropriate time, Parliament will be presented with proposals for its consideration,” said Mr. Ogamba.

The CS was responding to a question from Senator Joe Nyutu (Murang’a), who sought clarification on why some JSS teachers were being compelled to handle subjects outside their areas of expertise.

Mr. Ogamba explained that the competency-based curriculum introduced new learning areas that did not strictly align with existing teacher specializations. However, he assured Senators that steps had been taken to bridge the gaps.

“All teachers in Junior School have undergone retooling to equip them with the necessary pedagogical skills to handle the new curriculum. The retooling exercise covered both pedagogy and content in all learning areas,” he said.

He added that the Government has prioritized targeted recruitment and deployment of teachers in critical subjects. “In the latest recruitment drives, teachers of sciences, mathematics, and technical subjects were given priority to address shortages in those key areas,” he explained.

Senators also pressed the CS on the state of learning facilities in JSS, particularly practical spaces such as laboratories and workshops.

Mr. Ogamba acknowledged existing gaps but noted that significant efforts have been made to strengthen infrastructure across schools.

He cited the construction of 23,000 classrooms countrywide and directed schools lacking purpose-built laboratories to repurpose existing facilities for practical learning.

“Currently, schools without dedicated laboratories have designated rooms equipped to support practical components. We have instructed Junior Schools to use their infrastructure repair, maintenance, and improvement allocation to establish laboratories. This allocation provides Ksh 4,000 per learner annually,” the CS stated.

Responding to a question from Senator Mwenda Gataya (Tharaka Nithi) on infrastructure funding beyond NG-CDF, Mr. Ogamba said the Ministry is pursuing a multi-pronged approach.

“We are securing targeted budgetary allocations for infrastructure development, mobilizing resources from development partners such as the World Bank and the Global Partnership for Education, and collaborating with entities like the Kuwaiti Fund and the Safaricom Foundation,” he said.

Principal Fired By TSC Weeks Before Retirement Wins Ksh1.9M

He further noted that the Ministry is encouraging alumni-led initiatives where former students mobilize resources, materials, and labour to upgrade their alma maters.

“Such community-driven efforts foster a sense of ownership and responsibility in improving educational facilities,” he added.

In response to Senator Wakili Sigei (Bomet), who sought an update on Bomet University College, the CS confirmed that several major projects were nearing completion.

These include the library block, kitchen and hostel facilities, and new lecture halls. “Most of these projects are now over 90 percent complete, and once finalized, they will significantly improve the learning environment for university students,” he assured.

On the lecturers’ strike, Mr. Ogamba told the Senate that discussions are ongoing to resolve the stalemate but accused university dons of lacking sincerity.

He stated that the Government has honoured all agreements under the 2021–2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), but a dispute has arisen over the amount required to settle the 2017–2021 CBA.

He added that the courts have already issued an injunction against the strike and directed both parties to engage in talks to verify the precise sums to be paid.

He also questioned why lecturers had raised concerns over the delay in commencing negotiations for the 2025–2029 CBA, pointing out that talks were scheduled to begin during the 2025/2026 financial cycle.

He told the House that the parties are set to appear before the court on October 6 to chart the way forward.

A separate question by Senator Stewart Madzayo (Kilifi) focused on high dropout rates among girls in Kilifi County, where many leave school due to poverty, early pregnancies, and domestic caregiving responsibilities.

CS Ogamba admitted that the situation is dire, identifying poverty as a key factor forcing children to prioritize work over education, exposing them to exploitation and early pregnancies.

“According to the National Council for Population and Development, cases of teenage pregnancies in Kilifi stood at 9,578 in 2019. Cultural practices such as disco matanga, drug and alcohol abuse, and widespread poverty have made many girls especially vulnerable,” he said.

However, Senators expressed dissatisfaction with the Ministry’s handling of the matter, accusing the Government of failing to take decisive action against perpetrators of sexual exploitation.

Senator Edwin Sifuna (Nairobi) led the charge, insisting that the Ministry should not merely pass responsibility to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP).

“The Ministry of Education is the custodian of our children. Knowing what happens in these areas, you might not get a complainant. Our expectation is that the Ministry should be the complainant. They have the data of victims — how can they not have the data of perpetrators?” he posed.

Other Senators echoed his sentiments, urging the Ministry to take a more proactive role in protecting vulnerable learners and ensuring justice for victims of abuse.