Collision Course: Junior School Teachers Protest Ministry Plan to Merge Capitation Accounts with Primary Schools
NAIROBI, Kenya — A fresh wave of friction is hitting the education sector as Junior Secondary School (JSS) teachers mount fierce resistance against a Ministry of Education proposal to merge primary and junior school capitation accounts and Boards of Management (BOM) beginning next financial year.
The move, announced by Basic Education Principal Secretary Prof. Julius Bitok, is part of the government’s broader “comprehensive school” strategy.
Under this model—originally proposed by the late Prof. Raphael Munavu’s Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms (PWPER)—primary, and junior school sections are to be integrated under one institution managed by a single principal and unified financial oversight.
Teachers Demand Autonomy, Reject “Hidden” Funding Shortfalls
The announcement has sparked immediate backlash from JSS educators who argue that the merger is a death knell for the administrative autonomy they have been lobbying for since the inception of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) at the junior level.
Rivelia Wanyama, Chairperson of the Kenya Junior School Teachers Association (KEJUSTA) in Kwale, did not mince words regarding the proposal:
“We strongly oppose the proposal to merge primary and junior school capitation funds, as it threatens the unique needs and smooth operation of junior schools. Junior school learners deserve adequate and separate funding to support quality education, sufficient learning resources, and effective implementation of the CBC. Instead of merging systems, we junior school teachers demand full autonomy for junior school.”
Many teachers suspect the merger is a tactical move by the State to mask alarmingly low per-learner funding.
Recent disclosures that each primary school learner received as little as Sh93 for the second term have left many educators fearing that their specialized JSS resources will be diluted and diverted to plug primary school deficits.
The Institutional Tug-of-War: TSC vs. Ministry
The JSS teachers are banking on a separate, more ambitious proposal championed by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC).
The TSC’s framework envisions an independent management structure for junior schools, where each institution is headed by a substantive Principal—mirroring the autonomy enjoyed by senior secondary schools.
During a recent consultative meeting, the TSC Director of Legal Services, Mr. Calvin Anyuor, heard similar demands from the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET).
The union has made the “Full Autonomy of JSS” a non-negotiable demand, insisting that junior schools must have independent management, separate from primary school headteachers.
The Fiscal Hurdle: TSC’s Warning to Parliament
While the TSC’s proposed administrative structure promises a boost to leadership and accountability, it comes with a heavy price tag.
Appearing before a Parliamentary Committee, TSC Acting CEO Ms. Evaleen Mitei admitted that while the Commission is committed to strengthening JSS governance, fiscal reality remains a major barrier.
Implementing the independent management structure—which requires appointing substantive Principals and Deputy Principals for every JSS—would create a massive need for:
- Increased budget allocations for personnel emoluments.
- Additional salaries and benefits for new administrative tiers.
- Extensive capacity-building and training programs for newly deployed leadership.
Ms. Mitei warned that while the move is intended to ensure proper succession management and effective curriculum implementation, budgetary constraints currently facing the Commission could significantly slow down the rollout.
The Path Ahead
The Ministry of Education, led by Prof. Bitok, remains committed to the “comprehensive school” integration as a means to optimize scarce resources and improve administrative efficiency.
However, with KUPPET and grassroots associations like KEJUSTA standing firm against the merger of accounts, the Ministry is heading into a period of intense negotiation.
For now, the battle lines are drawn: the State sees a cost-effective, unified system, while JSS teachers see a struggle for the survival and identity of the junior secondary level.
