With just two weeks before the 2025 school calendar begins, education stakeholders and parents are raising serious concerns over the government’s preparedness for the Grade 9 transition. The Elimu Yetu Coalition, among other groups, is questioning the feasibility of completing the construction of 16,000 new classrooms to accommodate the 1.5 million learners expected to transition to Junior Secondary School (JSS), as well as ensuring there are enough qualified teachers to handle the new class structure.
Construction Challenges and Teacher Shortages
Joseph Wasikhongo, the National Coordinator of Elimu Yetu, highlighted the urgent need for the government to complete the construction of these classrooms. “We are not sure whether the classes will be completed by then, so therefore the transition will probably not be a smooth one,” Wasikhongo said. This concern comes despite the government’s assurance that Ksh.11 billion has been set aside for this infrastructure development and that there will be little to no disruption for the pioneer cohort of Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) learners transitioning to Grade 9. However, the reality on the ground suggests otherwise, with a significant risk of overcrowded classrooms and a lack of appropriate learning spaces.
The challenge is further compounded by a shortage of teachers. “The issue of sending children for these illicit levies – I call them illicit because they are not legal levies by the government – is making our children not cover the whole syllabus in the morning, even for one week,” said Julius Omogo, the Hama Bay Representative for Elimu Yetu Coalition. The stakeholders argue that the frequent interruptions to learning caused by delays in the release of capitation funds are leading to extortion by headteachers, who demand extra fees from parents to cover basic operational costs. This practice undermines the quality of education and perpetuates inequality within the system.
Inequality and Inadequate Resources
The disparities within the education system were also highlighted by Mohamed Sheikh, Executive Director of Action for Sustainable Change. “We have 365 primary schools across Mandera County. Of course, there are some at the centre of the county and sub-county connectivity, but the majority of them across the county lack connectivity,” Sheikh noted. “Most pastoralist children cross the border to Ethiopia and Somalia during the drought season and miss school. So that’s a challenge. Actually, we need to have mobile schools across Mandera.” This situation underscores the need for targeted infrastructure and resource allocation to support remote areas, which face unique challenges in providing uninterrupted education.
The appeal from stakeholders is clear: more needs to be done to equip schools with the necessary resources, including teachers trained specifically for the Junior Secondary School curriculum. “Our appeal to the government is to recruit more JSS teachers and deploy them according to subject combinations for Grade 9 schools,” Wasikhongo emphasized. “These schools need to be equipped with the guidelines for transition. As it is at the moment, most of the schools are not ready.”
Action Against Overcharging Headteachers
In response to the issue of illicit levies, stakeholders are also calling for strict action against headteachers who overcharge parents. This practice not only burdens families financially but also exacerbates the inequality within the education system. “The release of capitation remains a challenge in schools and creates a nightmare in terms of the management of institutions,” Wasikhongo noted. “We therefore reiterate a call we have made over and over again to the government: the timely disbursement of funds.”
As schools prepare to reopen, it is clear that addressing these challenges will require coordinated efforts from all stakeholders, including the government, local administrators, and communities. The transition to Grade 9 represents a critical juncture in the education system, and without significant investment in infrastructure and human resources, there is a risk of leaving behind the very students these reforms seek to support. The government must not only meet its financial commitments but also ensure that every school has the tools it needs to provide a quality education, especially for those in remote and underserved regions.
In conclusion, while the government has made some strides in addressing these concerns, the challenges are far from over. As the new school year approaches, it is essential that all parties work together to ensure a smooth transition to Grade 9, avoiding the pitfalls of overcrowding, inadequate resources, and overcharging by school administrators. Only then can Kenya hope to provide a truly equitable education system for all its students.
