Grade 6 learners to be placed in day junior secondary near their homes

Learners transitioning to Grade Seven in January will be compelled to be day scholars under the competency-based curriculum (CBC).

The Grade 6 learners will transition to junior secondary at Grade 7 in January after sitting their final test in primary in November this year.

The State department overseeing the implementation of CBC said that the learners will be posted to junior high schools based on proximity to their former primary school, subject selection and performance in primary school.

This marks the clearest indication yet that the government will open boarding schools to day schoolers in order to host junior secondary.

“Posting of learners to junior high will be informed by the capability of parents to transport a child to the school they have chosen,” Ruth Mugambi, the technical adviser to the Principal Secretary on CBC matters said.

Last week Education CS Prof. George Magoha clarified that junior Secondary School will be offered in both boarding and day secondary schools across the country. 

Magoha also said a number of primary schools will host junior secondary classes in January next year.

“Ministry has identified 1,500 primary schools that will host junior secondary school because they have adequate learning and teaching facilities and land for physical expansion,” said Magoha in a statement.

This means that learners will attend their local neighbouring schools instead of having to scramble for limited spaces at key schools.

To ensure effective and smooth transition, the Government is constructing 10,000 classrooms in schools across the country at a cost sh 8 billion.

However the second phase of construction of the CBC classrooms has stalled with contractors citing high cost of building materials.

They say the amount allocated and used to build classrooms in first phase cannot be used in the second phase due to high cost materials.

Under CBC, elementary education is divided into pre-primary and primary education, taking two and six years respectively. Junior secondary starts from Grade Seven up to Grade Nine.

Grade 6 learners will sit for Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) in November before transiting to Grade 7.

The KPSEA national test will replace the outdated Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE).

SUBJECTS OFFERED IN GRADE 7

Core Subjects                                                                                                                   

  1. English   
  2. Kiswahili or Kenyan Sign Language for learners who are deaf         
  3. Mathematics       
  4. Integrated Science            
  5. Health Education               
  6. Pre-Technical and Pre-Career Education                  
  7. Social Studies      
  8. Religious Education – learners choose one of the following:            
    1. Christian Religious Education 
    1. Islamic Religious Education 
    1. Hindu Religious Education
  9. Business Studies 1
  10. Agriculture 
  11. Life Skills Education 
  12. Sports and Physical Education

Optional Subjects (Minimum 1, Maximum 2)

  1. Visual Arts  
  2. Performing Arts  
  3. Home Science  
  4. Computer Science  
  5. Foreign Languages:  
    1. German  
    1. French  
    1. Mandarin  
    1. Arabic  
    1. Indigenous Languages
    1. Kenyan Sign Language  

NB: ICT will be a delivery tool for all Subjects

The government requires that secondary schools offer at least three of the optional subjects.

It is this selection of optional subjects that will be used to determine which secondary school a child will be posted to.

The junior secondary will be domiciled in existing secondary schools as opposed to primary schools, and training of learners offered by secondary school teachers.

Government spokesperson Cyrus Oguna said that the government had seriously considered every aspect of the CBC and expressed optimism that the education system will succeed.

The government started the rollout of the CBC in 2018, introducing disruptive changes where elementary education is divided into pre-primary and primary, taking two and six years respectively.

Grade 6 learners to be placed in day junior secondary near their homes

Learners transitioning to Grade Seven in January will be compelled to be day scholars under the competency-based curriculum (CBC).

The Grade 6 learners will transition to junior secondary at Grade 7 in January after sitting their final test in primary in November this year.

The State department overseeing the implementation of CBC said that the learners will be posted to junior high schools based on proximity to their former primary school, subject selection and performance in primary school.

This marks the clearest indication yet that the government will open boarding schools to day schoolers in order to host junior secondary.

“Posting of learners to junior high will be informed by the capability of parents to transport a child to the school they have chosen,” Ruth Mugambi, the technical adviser to the Principal Secretary on CBC matters said.

Last week Education CS Prof. George Magoha clarified that junior Secondary School will be offered in both boarding and day secondary schools across the country. 

Magoha also said a number of primary schools will host junior secondary classes in January next year.

“Ministry has identified 1,500 primary schools that will host junior secondary school because they have adequate learning and teaching facilities and land for physical expansion,” said Magoha in a statement.

This means that learners will attend their local neighbouring schools instead of having to scramble for limited spaces at key schools.

To ensure effective and smooth transition, the Government is constructing 10,000 classrooms in schools across the country at a cost sh 8 billion.

However the second phase of construction of the CBC classrooms has stalled with contractors citing high cost of building materials.

They say the amount allocated and used to build classrooms in first phase cannot be used in the second phase due to high cost materials.

Under CBC, elementary education is divided into pre-primary and primary education, taking two and six years respectively. Junior secondary starts from Grade Seven up to Grade Nine.

Grade 6 learners will sit for Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) in November before transiting to Grade 7.

The KPSEA national test will replace the outdated Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE).

SUBJECTS OFFERED IN GRADE 7

Core Subjects                                                                                                                   

  1. English   
  2. Kiswahili or Kenyan Sign Language for learners who are deaf         
  3. Mathematics       
  4. Integrated Science            
  5. Health Education               
  6. Pre-Technical and Pre-Career Education                  
  7. Social Studies      
  8. Religious Education – learners choose one of the following:            
    1. Christian Religious Education 
    1. Islamic Religious Education 
    1. Hindu Religious Education
  9. Business Studies 1
  10. Agriculture 
  11. Life Skills Education 
  12. Sports and Physical Education

Optional Subjects (Minimum 1, Maximum 2)

  1. Visual Arts  
  2. Performing Arts  
  3. Home Science  
  4. Computer Science  
  5. Foreign Languages:  
    1. German  
    1. French  
    1. Mandarin  
    1. Arabic  
    1. Indigenous Languages
    1. Kenyan Sign Language  

NB: ICT will be a delivery tool for all Subjects

The government requires that secondary schools offer at least three of the optional subjects.

It is this selection of optional subjects that will be used to determine which secondary school a child will be posted to.

The junior secondary will be domiciled in existing secondary schools as opposed to primary schools, and training of learners offered by secondary school teachers.

Government spokesperson Cyrus Oguna said that the government had seriously considered every aspect of the CBC and expressed optimism that the education system will succeed.

The government started the rollout of the CBC in 2018, introducing disruptive changes where elementary education is divided into pre-primary and primary, taking two and six years respectively.

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