Embu JSS teachers threaten strike over intimidation
Junior Secondary School (JSS) teachers under the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) in Embu County have raised concerns over alleged harassment and intimidation reportedly being meted out by primary school heads.
The teachers say tension has been brewing since JSS was integrated into primary schools, sparking friction with administrators who reportedly view them as rivals rather than colleagues.
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According to the teachers, this has bred a hostile working environment marked by disrespect and mistreatment from both heads and staff in the institutions where they are stationed.
Led by Embu KUPPET Executive Secretary Jacob Karura on Saturday, September 20, 2025, the educators are now demanding that the government grant JSS full autonomy, saying such a move would restore their professional dignity.
They disclosed that a formal petition has already been forwarded to the National Assembly, urging lawmakers to pass legislation that will anchor JSS as independent learning institutions.
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Karura maintained that unless action is taken, the teachers are prepared to down their tools or seek redress in court to safeguard their careers and the Competency-Based Education (CBE), which they claim is being compromised by the current arrangement.
“We are agitated that the members of the Junior Secondary School are being mistreated in the schools where they teach. We are calling as Embu teachers that domiciling JSS in primary school is a long way to go. We want autonomy of the junior secondary school; let them have their own,” Karura said.
They further cautioned that lumping pre-primary, primary, and junior secondary under a single management structure threatens the quality of education delivery.
The union leaders reiterated their push for JSS to have independent boards of management, distinct administrative structures, and governance systems to strengthen CBE to ensure accountability and enhance learning outcomes.
“If the government wants JSS to grow, then they must be given autonomy. We are suffering in the hands of headteachers in primary schools,” Martin Njue, a JSS teacher in Embu.
