JSS Teachers Push Back on Sessional Paper No. 2, Demand Autonomy to Save CBC

By Aggrey Barasa – In cramped classrooms meant for much younger children, Junior Secondary learners squeeze onto tiny benches, their science lessons reduced to theory for lack of laboratories. For their teachers, this daily struggle is the clearest proof yet that without autonomy, Junior Secondary is a system set up to fail.

Junior Secondary School (JSS) teachers in Kakamega County have now petitioned President William Ruto and Members of Parliament to intervene in what they call “an imminent threat” to their profession and the future of learners under the competency-based curriculum (CBC).

In a strongly-worded petition presented by Kennedy Wandia Weaver, the chairperson of JSS teachers in the county, the educators expressed deep concern over Sessional Paper No. 2 of 2024, set for debate in Parliament, which proposes domiciling JSS within comprehensive schools from pre-primary to Grade 9. The paper is anchored on recommendations of the Presidential Working Party on Education Reform (PWPER) released in July 2023.

A Fight for Recognition and Resources

While acknowledging government efforts to streamline CBC, teachers argue that the proposed model undermines their autonomy, dilutes their professional identity, and stifles career progression.

“Our fight right now is autonomy,” Weaver declared at the Kakamega presser, leading chants of “Autonomy! Autonomy! JSS Power!”

According to the petition, JSS teachers want a clear separation from primary schools, with their own administration led by principals and deputies, distinct governance systems, and dedicated infrastructure. At present, JSS is housed in primary schools, where heads, often without secondary-level experience, manage learners in Grades 7 to 9.

This arrangement, teachers say, sidelines JSS staff, weakens accountability, and ignores the psychosocial needs of adolescents. “We want our own administration, from principal to deputy principal and all other structures. JSS should do their own things, games, drama, learning, without being overshadowed,” one teacher explained.

Beyond governance, the educators point to deep resource gaps. “You can’t bring a primary science teacher and you don’t have a lab. You are not helping,” the petition reads. They argue that with independence, JSS could request laboratories, libraries, and adequate staffing.

Kakamega JSS chair Kennedy Wandia Weaver addresses ppress. photo Baraza

Their demands echo broader calls from teachers’ unions. The Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) and the Kenya Association of Junior School Teachers (KAJST) have also pressed for administrative autonomy, warning that the current arrangement under primary heads hinders teachers’ career growth.

At a recent State House meeting, KUPPET Secretary-General Akello Misori was jeered after suggesting that junior schools should instead be domiciled in secondary schools,  an incident that underscored sharp divisions over the future of JSS.

The frustrations echo reports from Murang’a, Embu, and Kericho, where JSS teachers have staged demonstrations citing lack of facilities, hostile relations with primary heads, and insecure internship contracts despite holding qualifications.

Pressure Mounts on Policy Makers

The national debate now extends far beyond Kakamega. In Embu, JSS teachers have accused primary school heads of intimidation and exclusion, while in Murang’a, they protested to demand independence and permanent terms of service.

Unions are also stepping in. The Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) has urged the government to open structured talks on JSS governance, while the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has floated proposals to resolve the autonomy question, signaling acknowledgment of the pressure.

At the core of the clash is the shape of Kenya’s education system. Teachers want Parliament to uphold the 2-6-3-3-3 structure, with JSS recognized as a distinct stage, rather than the 2-9-3-3 model advanced in Sessional Paper No. 2 of 2024. The Ministry of Education insists the reforms will improve coordination and streamline resources, but teachers fear JSS will remain underfunded and mismanaged.

For teachers, the stakes are high. “A shoe pinches most of the wearer. We are the JSS teachers who know where the problem is,” one said. “These are the children of Kenya. We should not waste them again next year.”

The fate of the paper now rests with Parliament, where debate is expected to intensify. Teachers are calling on President Ruto to honor his September 13, 2025, pledge at State House, when he assured them that their concerns would be addressed in upcoming reforms.

As Weaver concluded: “What we want, Mr. President, is simple. Autonomy for JSS. That is how we protect the future of our children and the dignity of our teachers.”