JSS Wasted Grade 8 CBC pupils Require Labs & Library in Grade 9

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As the first cohort of the Competency-based Curriculum (CBC) prepares pupils  to join Grade 9, much needs to be done since these learners are expected to decide on their career pathways.

According  to the projections of the curriculum, it is in Grade Nine where  that students decide which of the three pathways which include ; Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Science and  Technology, Social Sciences and also Arts and Sports Science.

Learners who are currently  in grade 8 have only a year before the they make resolute decisions that would determine their future and careers but the reality  is that these pupils are not yet  exposed to basic learning facilities such as laboratories.
In grade 9, the learners will be subjected to an assessment so as to assign schools the pathways to pursue.

The ball still rolls back to the ministry as educationists  now question on  why the government is yet to decide the criterion that will be used to place learners from Grade Nine in the senior school.

On the other hand , the teachers are so far not re-oriented more especially those who would teach Grade Nine and senior schools on the new system.

Another undermining factory is that the teachers assigned to Junior Secondary School (JSS) are either teaching for the first time. Others lack subject mastery in the areas they are tasked to handle due to shortage of teachers as well as first time encounter with CBC Curriculum.

Inorder to safe the dreams of many, the learners in Grade Nine require an environment with furnished laboratories, equiped libraries and adequate classrooms that are not there at the moment under the primary schools hosting jss.

It is not clear whether the government  earlier announcement that 20 percent of the scores attained by pupils in Grade 6 would be used to place CBC learners to grade 9 in SSS will still hold the waters .

Considering the current Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) confusion ,it may be difficult to use part of that 20 per cent to determine the learners’ progression to senior school.

Questions  have also been raised questions on the genuineness of the criteria  of telling a learner who is barely 12 years old that whatever he does at that age would be used to determine his career progression and future.

The worst part of it all is that teachers handling the learners should not able to understand the capacities of their learners and work together in assisting them decide on their pathways.

Mahiakalo JSS geography teacher ma I assists pupils during a lesson.

Mahiakalo JSS geography teacher assists pupils during a lesson.image/courtesy

Teachers currently handling learners in jss may have not committed themselves fully following confusion linked to the delay of their confirmation to permanent terms.

So far , there is no school that has started to specialise in STEM; Social Sciences; or Arts and Sports Science and started setting up the facilities.

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