Parents and education stakeholders in Murang’a County have called on the Ministry of Education to ensure all public primary schools establish Junior Secondary School (JSS) classes, saying the shortage has forced learners to travel long distances to access education.
Conversely, the situation exposes them to serious safety risks, and now stakeholders in the sector are urging the Ministry of Education to urgently address gaps in junior secondary school infrastructure and placement policies to ensure no learner is left behind.
Speaking at Gachogi Primary and Junior School in Kangema Constituency during the launch of infrastructure projects funded through the National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF), parents said the absence of JSS classes in some schools has created major disruptions in learning.
It now emerges that many learners are forced to walk long distances to access JSS institutions, a situation parents say puts children at risk and places unnecessary strain on families.
“Our children are forced to walk very long distances to school every day. This is dangerous and exhausting for them, and it may affect their performance,” said Simon Mbatia, a parent.
“They have to go far to access the JSS education without proper security, and this creates fear among both learners and parents,” said Mbatia.
He called upon the Ministry of Education to ensure all schools have junior secondary classes.
Echoing similar sentiments, Mary Maina, a parent, noted that having JSS in all primary schools would ease the pressure on parents and students, especially in these hard economic times.
“Education should not put our children at risk but should be easily accessible to all; we urge the MOE to act and certify the schools that have met all the requirements,” she said.
Gachogi Primary and Junior School head teacher Elizabeth Waithera Wanyoike said the placement of learners into junior secondary schools has been challenging for both parents and school administrators.
“In the future, learners should be allowed to select their schools. We have seen many challenges with the current placement system,” she said.
She noted that some learners were placed in day schools very far from home, in distant counties like Kisii, Kericho, and others, making it very difficult for parents, many of whom are still struggling.
Kangema Member of Parliament Peter Kihungi said several schools in the constituency meet all the requirements to host junior secondary school classes and should be gazetted without delay.
“We have at least three schools here that have met the requirements to become junior secondary schools, and I know the Ministry of Education will act soon since we are still following up on the progress,” Kihungi said.
The MP also urged the ministry to review the placement process for Grade 10 learners, saying the rigid system has disadvantaged many students.
“Let the placement window remain open so learners can have more time to make informed choices and even change courses where necessary,” he said.
“With the current tough economic times, many families cannot afford boarding schools. Day schools near their homes would be more suitable,” he explained.
Kihungi assured residents that NG-CDF would continue supporting school infrastructure development to ensure learners study in a safe and conducive environment.
“We have addressed sanitation challenges, and next we will focus on schools that lack enough space for extracurricular activities,” he said.
The MP commissioned classrooms in eight primary schools across the constituency. At Gachogi Primary School, renovation of eight classrooms and installation of cabro paving were done fully funded by the NG-CDF.
By Florence Kinyua
