Hill School is among at least 150 public and private primary schools in Uasin Gishu County that have been selected to host junior secondary learners.
Uasin Gishu County Director of Education Harrison Muriuki says they are still in consultation with the Ministry of Education over other public primary schools that will also be used by junior secondary learners.
Speaking to Uasin Gishu News at his office in Eldoret town, Muriuki noted that they are looking at the possibility of public schools with over 500 students to be included among those that will host the junior secondary schools.
“We are awaiting direction from the Ministry for those schools with over 500 students on whether we can still bring them on board, but we have already received a go-ahead to register a junior secondary in Hill School which is a public primary school,” Muriuki said.
But even as schools prepare to host the junior secondary learners in January 2023, the Uasin Gishu County Director of Education has encouraged more private schools to consider hosting the Junior secondary schools.
Laboratory
He noted that they only need a laboratory to be able to be allowed to host junior secondary.
Uasin Gishu has at least 500 registered private schools.
“We’re encouraging more private schools to come on board. If all of them can be able to construct that minimum requirement to provide a laboratory, then it will be good for us to bring all of them on board,” said the county education boss.
However, he said the county is ready for the rollout of the junior secondary schools.
And according to Muriuki, construction of the second phase of the classrooms for the learners is at 95 per cent complete and is expected to be through by the end of this week.
Already the first phase of 117 classrooms has been completed and the second phase of 94 classrooms is nearing completion in Uasin Gishu.
“As far as junior secondary school is concerned, I can say Uasin Gishu is well prepared and our students in Grade six are doing their choices,” Muriuki said.
Junior secondary teachers
Another key component for the junior secondary school is teachers and the county director notes that they are equally well prepared.
He says they have already completed training the first phase of teachers, with the second one expected to be done soon.
“For teachers, we’re well prepared, our teachers in secondary schools have been trained and the second phase which will become before students resume junior secondary schools will also be trained,” said the County Director of Education.
At least six teachers have been trained in each of the over 300 secondary schools.
How to select junior secondary school
For parents and guardians who have pupils set to join junior secondary school, Muriuki has advised them to visit their current schools so that teachers can help them in selecting the schools.
“What I can advise the parents is to go to schools where their children are learning and teachers will guide them on how to go about it because teachers have been instructed to guide parents on the selection of these schools,” he said.
