The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) has cautioned the government against discriminating against P1 teachers while selecting them for junior secondary schools (JSS).
According to the Teacher Service Commission, P1 teachers with a C or higher are the only ones qualified to instruct junior secondary school students.
TSC Requirements for P1 teachers to teach JSS
- Atleast C+ (plus) mean grade at Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education KCSE or its equivalent.
- Atleast C+ (plus) in the two teaching subjects at Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education KCSE or its equivalent.
- At least 8 units in each of the two teaching subjects
- Must be serving as a primary school teacher under TSC.
Collins Oyuu, the KNUT secretary, issued a warning to the TSC, urging the guidelines to be discriminatory and alleging they are the cause of much anguish and confusion.
Speaking to the media in Kisumu, Mr. Oyuu noted that all of these P1 teachers have received upgrades and are qualified to instruct students in grade 7, so they shouldn’t be denied the chance to do so.
Let TSC lower the required grade to a C, and let teachers from teacher training colleges work with junior high school students.
Great people who have achieved great heights reside among us.
“Former Education PS Prof Karega Mutahi was a P2 teacher who rose to become a highly regarded scholar in Kenya. So why discriminate?” he continued.
All of these students in grade seven have passed through P1 teachers. If given the chance, this indicates that they will handle them with ease as well, he said.
Oyuu encouraged TSC to reach an agreement to end the deadlock in order to avoid issues in the classroom.
The junior secondary schools will be housed in the primary schools; therefore, you will create unnecessary tensions and arguments, he warned.
He also urged the government to hire more than 100,000 teachers to start teaching junior high and secondary students.
Due to a severe teacher shortage, classes have not yet begun in the majority of junior secondary schools.
You can find a school with just one teacher or a school without even a single CBC teacher.
He also asked teachers to behave honorably and avoid offensive behavior.
