Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu has announced that Junior Secondary School students will have different uniforms from the lower primary learners.
Speaking during the release of Form One placement on Monday, January 16, at the Kenya Institute for Curriculum Development the CS announced that the directive was one of the forms that had been made by President William Ruto.
However, the CS stated that it will be the mandate of the Board of Management (BoMs) to make a final decision on the type of school uniforms Junior Secondary students will have.
“At this particular point, since it is secondary, the uniform will not be the same and each board of management will be able to make decisions on the colour and type of uniform students will be put on,” the CS revealed.
Furthermore, Machogu clarified that parents will have to bear the responsibility of buying the uniform for students.
“Although the learners will join grade seven in the same school they had been enrolled in grade six there is a need to distinguish the junior secondary section.
A decision has been made for the parents and BoMs to come to an agreement,” he added.
Also Read: CS Machogu Says No Fees For Junior Secondary School Learners
Adding to the same, Principal Secretary of Education, Belio Kipsang announced that parents should be given the freedom to decide on places to buy the uniforms from rather than being directed to specific places.
The issue of uniforms has been a debate that has been going on for a while now.
On January 3, education stakeholders questioned the ministry of education on how the transitions would happen in matters of uniforms.
They stated that there was a need for the students to have a way of showing that they had been promoted to another level.
“How will it be with the uniform now that that junior secondary will be domiciled in the same school?” they questioned.
Presidential Working Party on education had previously hinted at making changes to on Junior Secondary uniform.
“For psychological satisfaction, the uniforms will distinguish them from the rest of learners because they will be at a higher level than their colleagues,” Kenya Primary School Heads Association (KEPSHA) announced.
