Primary school headteachers who also act as junior secondary school (JSS) Principals have adopted alternative ways to ensure learning go on in Grade 7 classes.
This is after revelation that no learning happened in Grade 7 classes for the whole of last term.
While learning was smooth in most private junior secondary schools, this was not the case in most public junior secondary school section.
To address the under teaching in Grade 7, the headteachers are now assigning primary school teachers subjects to teach in those classes.
The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) recruited 35,550 teachers to help teach junior secndary classes.
TSC also deployed around 7,400 primary school teachers to boost learning in junior secondary but still this number is still low compared to the huge number of learners, classes and streams.
Now the headteachers are assigning teachers lessons in Grade 7. Some teachers are also excluded from teaching in primary school to fully support the secondary learners.
The school heads are also using teachers with extensive skills in various disciplines to help teaching the learners.
Tech gurus are used in attending Computer Science lessons, others with deep knowledge in CRE, IRE, Agriculture etc are used in teaching the subjects.
The Kenya National Examination Council (Knec) already announced that the Grade 7 learners will have a national assessment tests starting July.
The School Based Assessment (SBA) will be provided in two formats. PDF format where the exams will be in printed format and Digita format where learners will access the exams by login via a digital devise.
Below is the Knec circular on assessment of Grade 7 learners in July that was released by Knec CEO David Njengere.
RE: ADMINISTRATION OF THE YEAR 2023 GRADE 7 AND PREVOCATlONAL LEVEL SCHOOL BASED ASSESSMENT
1.0 The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) will upload on the KNEC CBA portal the School Based Assessment tools for Grade 7 (age based pathway) and Pre-Vocational Level (stage based pathway).
2.0 To access the assessment portal, Headteachers are required to login onto the CBA portal: https://cba.knec.ac.ke. Any school that will have password challenges should contact their respective Sub-county Director of Education for resetting of the password.
3.0 Schools will be expected to administer the assessment tools, score and upload the assessment outcomes of all learners on the CSA portal.
4.0 SBA tools for Grade 7 will be provided in two formats: PDF format and digital format through the CBA portal https://cba.knec.ac.ke as follows:
4.1 PDF Format
4.1.1 Schools will be required to log in using the school credentials. (Username and password).
4.1.2 Schools will access the tools in PDF format and download.
4.1.3 The tools will then be given to learners in either print format, projected on the screen or written on the board.
4.1.4 Depending on the format adopted, learners may write their responses on the question paper or on the provided writing materials provided by the school.
4.2 Digital format
4.2.1 To access the tools in this format, individual leaners will be required to log onto the portal using their respective assessment numbers.
4.2.2 Upon logging in, learners will access the tools directly via digital devices such as the Digital Learning Programme (DLP) tablets available in schools.
4.2.3 Learners will be expected to give their responses on writing materials provided by the school.
5.0 The two formats of assessment tools wlll be displayed on the CBA portal dashboard using different buttons. Schools are encouraged to allow learners access the tools directly using the DLPs or any other available digital devices such as desktop computer and laptops. This will help schools save on printing cost. Those who may have challenges with the direct access may opt for the pdf format
6.0 SBA tools for Pre-Vocational Level will be accessed on PDF format by their teachers.
7.0 Teachers will assess the learners as they undertake the performance-based tasks and score using the guidelines provided in the tool.
8.0 A detailed user manual describing step by step on how to access the tools, instructions, scoring guides and how to upload learners’ scores is available on the CBA portal.
9.0 The assessment tools with coloured Images should be printed in colour or loaded on the digital devices available In the school. The learners should answer the questions using separate answer sheets provided by the school. In schools where the digital devices are Inadequate, the assessments can be done in shifts.
10.0 Headteachers are requested to keep all records and evidence generated from the assessments.
11.0 The materials required for the assessments should be obtained from the immediate school environment or Improvised as much as possible.
12.0 The tools will be accessed as shown below:
This information is to enable you to prepare and plan adequately.
DR. DAVID NJENGERE, MBS
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
good comment.
This is unfair. How can p1 teachers be used to teach in JSS and yet TSC put it categorically that they don’t qualify even if they have B.E.D in primary option or ECDE. Exploitation of the highest order. Let those with higher qualifications be promoted first
It’s so sad that TSC cannot recognize teachers with dip, degree in primary option and those who did ECDE. The teachers even did courses like art, PE in those degrees . Now they are being used to teach yet TSC cannot recognize them. Sad!!
And some of the headteachers are also forcing jss teachers to teach in the lower grades which is quite unfair!!!
Other headteachers are using a rude language to the jss teachers and telling them that the other teachers are also educated……Jss should be taken to highschool…… period!!!!!!…… this conflict is too much.
This really pisses me off, how can u teach yet they say ur not qualified nkt
The content of Grade 7 is so basic that it doesn’t require even a diploma holder. It is former class 7 work with very few class 8 concepts. Instead admitting that they have no money they are being selective. Teachers, don’t be exploited. How can you be deployed by Headteachers after the employer (TSC) rejects you ? Don’t accept to be exploited to prove you are capable of teaching in a secondary school.
Am not saying that they can’t teach , but hapo umesema kuwa it’s 7 and some class 8 not all. Many subjects it’s form 1 content