Guidelines for the implementation of Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) Curriculum

The guidelines for the implementation of Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) Curriculum will be released next week. The guidelines will enable the current Primary school heads to implement the JSS curriculum.

Some of the issues in the guidelines include:

1. Finance Management and allocation from the Government.
2. Structure of Leadership in JSS.
3. Infrastructure Management and shared use.
4. Basic Education Act.

5. Areas of Learning in JSS.
6. Learners’ Welfare in JSS i.e., new distinct uniform.
7. Staffing in JSS and Teaching load.

Learners joining Junior Secondary school at Grade 7 will pursue 14 subjects with 12 being compulsory.

According to the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development curriculum design for Grade 7 seen by the Star,  the learners will take 45 lessons a week with each lesson covering a 40 minutes duration.

Also read; Junior Secondary Schools; Education Ministry officials to inspect all primary schools

English, Kiswahili, mathematics, integrated science, health education, pre-technical and pre-career, social studies, religious education, business studies, agriculture, life skills education, physical education/sports, foreign languages (German, French and Mandarin), will be introduced alongside indigenous language as an optional subject.

Other optional subjects will include performing/visual arts and computer science.

English, mathematics and social studies have been allocated the highest number of hours with each having five subjects each week.

Pre-technical and pre-career studies is a  subject that prepares the learner for technical and engineering and career and technology studies which are tracks in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics pathway.

Integrated Science (Biology, Chemistry, Physics) and Kiswahili will be covered four times a week, Social Studies, Business and agriculture allocated with three subjects weekly.

Religious Education, Health Education, and PE/sports will have two periods every week while life skills will only have one subject per week.

All Grade 6 students who completed their Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) will transfer to junior secondary schools housed in existing primary schools.