Junior Secondary Schools, JSS, Curriculum Implementation, Subjects, Lessons Allocation {MoE GUIDELINES}

The Ministry of Education has released the final guidelines on Curriculum implementation at Junior Secondary Schools, JSS. The guidelines are on subject areas, number of lessons and curriculum designs.

ORGANISATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE JUNIOR SECONDARY EDUCATION AND PRE- VOCATIONAL LEVEL CURRICULUM

       Overview of the Curriculum Implementation of JSS

JSS comprises Grades 7- 9 for 12/13 – 14/15-year-old learners. The curriculum for this level is broad- based and has both core and optional subjects. This is aimed at enabling learners explore their interests and potential as a basis for selecting subjects at Senior Secondary School according to different career pathways. (BECF, 2017).

The JSS curriculum is a progression from upper Primary where a similar curriculum is offered, with concentration on numeracy, literacy and social skills. Provision is made for learners with visual impairment, hearing impairment, physical impairment and mild cerebral palsy through adaptation of the curriculum designs, text books and teacher’s guides. A Pre-vocational level curriculum is provided for learners who are unable to undertake the regular or adapted curricula as illustrated in Figure 2.

In this regard, the JSS leadership SHOULD ensure that:

• Functional assessment of learners is conducted by Educational Assessment Resource Centres (EARCs) for identification of the special needs, placement and interventions (as appropriate.
• Learners study the 12 core subjects provided, a minimum of one and a maximum of two subjects from the following groups; Visual Arts, Performing arts, Home Science, Computer science, foreign languages – German, French, Mandarin, Arabic, Kenyan Sign Language (KSL) and Indigenous
• Learners with special needs study the adapted subjects together with braille for learners with visual impairment and KSL for learners with hearing impairment.
• The regular and adapted curriculum are allocated the same
• Learners who are gifted and talented are identified and supported
• Learners with communication disorders, emotional and behavioural disorders, learning disabilities, mild cerebral palsy study the regular curriculum but are supported with relevant interventions. These SHOULD be determined by the type of disorder.
• Necessary provisions are made to accommodate learners enrolled in the Adult and Continuing Education programme.

Distribution of Lessons for the Regular and Adapted Curricula

Table 3 shows the distribution of lessons for the regular and adapted JSE Curriculum.

Table 3: Distribution of Lessons for the Regular and Adapted JSE Curricula

Accordingly:

• There SHALL be nine (9) lessons per day for five days totalling to 45 per
• The time allocation for each lesson SHALL be 40
• English SHALL be the medium of instruction for all learning areas except Kiswahili, KSL, foreign and indigenous languages

 Time- tabling of Lessons for the Regular and Adapted JSE Curriculum

The prototype time table is attached in Annex 2. This implies that classroom learning SHALL be conducted as follows:

• ALL JSSs SHALL operate from 20 AM to 4.00 PM Monday to Friday as provided for in the Basic Education Regulations (2015).
• Activities taking place before the start of lessons (7.00-8.20 AM) and after the lessons (4.00-5.00 PM) SHOULD be indicated on the time table.
• English and Mathematics SHOULD be allocated a lesson per
• All Physical Education (PE) and Sports lessons SHOULD be taught before lunch and be plotted just before a break.
• Subjects that aim at developing related or similar skills such as English and Kiswahili/KSL, Integrated Science and Health Education SHOULD not be taught consecutively.
• Pre- technical Studies SHOULD be allocated two double lessons per
• The practical subjects (Integrated Science, Agriculture, Computer Science, Home Science, Visual and Performing Arts) SHOULD be allocated a double and single lesson per week respectively.
• All other subjects SHOULD be allocated a single lesson per
• Provision SHOULD be made in the timetable to cater for the optional

In order to ensure effective implementation of the curriculum, ALL JSSs SHOULD:

• Implement a Career Guidance programme to empower learners on the choice of Pathways and Tracks at the end of Grade 9.
• Constitute a time-tabling Committee with representation from all the

       Pre- vocational Level curriculum

Learners who are not able to follow the regular curriculum SHALL follow the Stage-based Pathway and curriculum which is pegged on achievement of identified milestones rather than the age of the learner. These include learners with severe autism, deaf blindness, intellectual and multiple disabilities.

The Pre-vocational level curriculum SHALL entail the following learning areas:

Table 4: Distribution of Lessons in the Pre-Vocational Level Curriculum

In this regard, the leadership of Special JSSs offering the Pre- vocational curriculum SHOULD ensure the following:

• Eight (8) lessons per day for five days totalling to 40 per
• Provision of individualised learning
• Allocation of time depending on completion and mastery of specific

                    The Pre- vocational Level Time Table

The Pre- vocational level timetable SHOULD be implemented as follows:

• Official operating hours from 8:00 AM to 3:30 PM Monday to Friday as provided for in the Basic Education Regulations of 2015.
• All learning areas are compulsory for every
• For Religious Education, learners select the learning area based on their

                Learning Resources

Learning resources refer to electronic and non- electronic teaching and learning materials. In this regard, the JSS leadership SHALL ensure all learners including those with special needs and disability in JSS and Pre-vocational levels are provided with text books by Government at a ratio of 1:1 in all subject areas. In addition, the MoE and KICD SHALL:

• Ensure timely adaptation of SNE learning
• Promote improvisation and creativity in acquisition and use of learning resources to reduce the cost of learning.
• Ensure safety of learners at JSS in the access and use of learning
• Ensure all learning resources (including human), used by the JSSs are approved by the relevant
• Supervise and guide the use of online learning
• Operationalize a policy on management and use of learning resources, in accordance to the laid down procedures. (PPDA Act, 2015). This SHOULD address the storage, maintenance, replacement, disposal and donation of excess resources such as text books.
• Ensure all JSSs adhere to the agreed upon structure and requirements for sharing learning resources with other institutions and the community.
• Ensure learning resources used by the JSSs take into consideration the varied interests, abilities, learning styles, cultural backgrounds, and age appropriateness of the learners.
• Support teachers to carefully select varied learning resources based on the learning outcomes and learning experiences outlined in the curriculum designs.

                The Integrated Science Curriculum

The JSS Science curriculum emphasizes inquiry-based learning experiences. These accord learners the opportunity to use content knowledge to develop information processing and problem-solving skills. Focus is on formative performance assessment, to breach the theory-practice gap in Science classrooms. As such, the implementation of a scientific learning culture at JSS will require simple basic and adaptive facilities or resources and spaces that will enable learners to practice both the manipulative and basic process skills suggested in the Curriculum Designs.

Table 5 summarises the main activities that require a Science or mobile laboratory and/or Science kit, with the suggested learning experiences in the four strands of the Grade 7 Curriculum Designs

Table 5: Grade 7 Science Activities that Necessitate a Mobile Lab or Science Kit.

     The JSS Pre-Technical Studies Curriculum

The JSS Pre-technical studies curriculum SHALL be implemented as follows;

• Conducted in the classroom except where learning involves activities that require learners to visit local sites such as construction sites, businesses, industries (where applicable) and the local community to acquire the skills.
• Leverage the resources available in the school and its
• Ensure affordability when purchasing manila papers, drawing papers, geometrical sets (mathematical), first aid kit, digital and assistive devices.
• Teachers SHOULD scan the environment in advance, for resources to facilitate the different learning areas and adapt these appropriately.
• Teachers SHOULD exercise creativity and innovativeness in use of resources (including improvisation and adaptation to minimize on implementation costs).
• Parents SHALL be expected to support the learners in extended

Table 6 guides the JSS teachers on how to cost- effectively implement the Grade 7 Pre-technical studies curriculum design.

Table 6: Proposed Cost- Effective Implementation of the Grade 7 Pre- technical Studies Curriculum Design

       Learner Support Programmes

The JSS leadership SHALL implement the following programmes to support and enhance the implementation of the JSS and Pre-Vocational level curriculum. Relevant adaptations and modification SHALL be ensured to enable the learners with special needs perform the related tasks and achieve the learning outcomes.

       Parental Empowerment and Engagement

Parents have a shared responsibility with learning institutions to provide a conducive environment that motivates ALL learners to achieve their full potential. In regard to Parental Empowerment and Engagement (PEE) the leadership of JSS and Pre-Vocational institutions SHALL:

• Ensure teachers are trained on
• Encourage parents to provide the basic needs of their children, ensure regular school attendance, supervise assignments, attend school meetings and discuss their children’s performance with
• Organize forums to empower parents on good practices that support children’s learning at home and in school.
• Involve parents in making decisions regarding matters affecting their children’s well-being (including their discipline).
• Continuously engage parents on the progress of their

(v)    Provide timely feedback to parents and guardians on issues affecting their children’s learning through various forums including social platforms.

• Sensitize parents and guardians on disability mainstreaming in
• Leverage existing Adult and Continuing Education programmes to enhance parental skills, attitudes and practices.

                Community Service Learning

Community Service Learning (CSL) is an educational activity that provides experiential learning for the purpose of integrating theory and practice. In this case, the leadership of JSS and Pre- vocational institutions SHALL:

1. Initiate a variety of CSL activities to allow learner’s adequate
2. Ensure CSL is implemented, in accordance with existing MoE

• Engage all learners in CSL

1. Collaborate with parents, and the community in implementing CSL
2. Establish and maintain partnerships with relevant organizations and/or stakeholders for CSL
3. Ensure learners are sensitized on the ethos and skills required for effective participation in CSL activities

                Citizenship Education

Citizenship Education (CE) seeks to empower learners to contribute positively by developing the knowledge and experiences needed to understand their rights and responsibilities. This will enable learners of all ages to assume active roles, locally, regionally and globally in building more peaceful, tolerant, inclusive and secure societies. In this case, the leadership of JSS and Pre- vocational institutions SHALL:

• Implement CE to enable ALL learners understand the consequences of their actions, and those of the citizens around them.
• Establish and maintain citizenship clubs and other co-curricular activities in accordance with the guidelines for non-formal activities.
• Integrate CE in all learning areas as guided in the curriculum

                Environmental Education

Environmental Education (EE) creates awareness of the environment and enables learners acquire knowledge, skills, values, experiences and attitudes to solve present and future environmental problems as well as take responsibility to achieve environmental sustainability and development. In this regard, the leadership of JSS and Pre- vocational institutions SHALL:

• Integrate EE in all learning areas as guided in the curriculum
• Establish environmental clubs in accordance with the guidelines for non-formal activities and other relevant provisions.
• Involve all learners including those with special needs and disabilities in environmental conservation activities.
• Collaborate with the community in environmental conservation
• Ensure safety and security of learners during environmental

  Value-Based Education

Value Based Education (VBE) is anchored on culture, religion, morals and societal values that emphasize character and personality development for individual wellbeing and lifelong service. VBE is best implemented through a whole-school approach, to enable learners identify, form and practice values that satisfy acceptable societal norms. In this regard, the leadership of JSS and Pre- vocational institutions SHALL:

• Ensure the school Motto, Vision, Mission, School rules, regulations and policies, the classroom environment and the non-formal activities reflect values.
• Involve families, religious organisations and the school community in promoting
• Establish and operationalize a committee to coordinate

       Career Guidance

Career guidance will be implemented, to help learners choose the appropriate career path. In this case, the leadership of JSS and Pre- vocational institutions SHALL:

• Establish a Career Guidance Committee to implement and coordinate the career guidance
• Ensure inclusion of career guidance in the school
• Offer needs-based career guidance to all
• Sensitize all learners on career choices based on the CBC
• Collaborate with parents and guardians on how to guide learners to choose the career pathways based on their abilities and interest.
• Utilize the services of experts on career choice and modelling as per the list approved by
• Expose learners to job shadowing and other experiences to nurture them into future career

       Religious Education Programme(REP)

Religious programmes in schools are envisaged to support the learners’ spiritual growth. In this case, the leadership of JSS and Pre- vocational institutions SHALL:

• Facilitate relevant religious programmes for learners from different religious faiths in the These include Christians, Muslim and Hindu.
• Ensure that religious programmes for Christian, Islamic or Hindu learners are facilitated by officially appointed members of religious organisations recognised by law.
• Conduct prayers during morning assemblies and other
• Sensitize parents and guardians on the importance of religion in instilling values in

       Non-Formal and Informal Learning

Non-formal learning programmes support formal learning. The Non-formal programmes include school assemblies, clubs, sports and societies. Informal learning also referred to as the hidden curriculum is the knowledge, attitude, values and behaviour acquired by the learners through social interactions in and out of school. In this case, the leadership of JSS and Pre- vocational institutions SHALL:

• Ensure school non- formal activities are implemented in accordance with existing policies and
• Ensure all non-formal activities are programmed in the school
• Appoint and induct patrons for school clubs and

                Professional Documents

Professional documents are prepared by the teacher to guide effective and efficient implementation of the curriculum. These include Schemes of Work, Lesson Plan, Record of Work Covered, and Individualized Education Plan for learners with special needs and disabilities. In this regard, the JSS leadership SHALL ensure that:

• Schemes of work are developed by the teacher, based on the Curriculum
• Schemes of work indicate the requisite administrative details, week, lesson, strand, sub- strand, specific learning outcomes, learning experiences, key inquiry questions, learning resources, assessment and reflection.
• Schemes of work are ready for use by the first week of every term and all necessary planning is considered before then.
• Teachers prepare and use lesson plans for every lesson as per the schemes of The lesson plans SHOULD break down the content in the scheme of work into teachable units.
• Teachers formulate lesson specific learning outcomes and provide opportunities for extended learning, based on the Curriculum Designs.
• Lesson planning takes into consideration the learners age, ability, background, learning style, available learning resources and the learning In addition, values and development of core competencies SHOULD be integrated in the lesson planning.
• All teachers maintain a record of work as evidence of the content covered and for ease of handing and taking over in case of a transfer.
• The Record of work covered provides the requisite administrative details, time frame, lesson, content covered and a reflection. This SHOULD be signed by the school head.

( ix) Where a JSS has more than one stream, the record of work is used as a supervision tool on curriculum implementation across the streams.

• Individual Education Plan is developed to meet the unique needs of a learner with special needs, to guide the planning and monitoring of their learning.
• Progress records document the learner’s academic performance on a weekly, monthly or termly basis to monitor learners’ academic performance.
• Progress records provide accurate, factual, and up to date records of the learners’ academic progress and performance. In addition, these SHOULD be used by the teacher to identify learners in need of guidance and support as well as to provide information for instructional planning
• Progress records are used by both the teacher and the learner to reflect on, and re-assess the teaching-learning relationship.
• All professional documents are
• Purchased professional documents are not utilized by the