CS for Education Migosi Ogamba
By IP Reporter
BUNGOMA, Kenya
Junior secondary school teachers in Bungoma County are warning that dozens of schools risk shutting down next year due to delayed confirmation of their institutional registration.
The crisis,they say has thrown thousands of learners and teachers into uncertainty.
Gathered outside the Bungoma County education offices, the teachers accused the Ministry of Education of failing to convert provisional licences issued to JSS institutions into full registration, a move they say has paralysed planning for the 2025 school calendar.
“We don’t know whether to continue teaching or start looking for other jobs,” one teacher said, citing fears that the affected schools might be declared non-compliant and closed.
Others said they have repeatedly asked for clarity from the subcounty and county education offices without receiving any concrete timelines.
The teachers, many of whom have served since JSS was rolled out, said the uncertainty has already strained staffing, budgeting and admissions.
Without full registration, they noted, schools struggle to access government capitation, textbooks and infrastructure support — all of which depend on confirmed documentation.
Parents have also raised concerns. Some told the protesters they worry their children might be forced to transfer abruptly if their schools are deregistered.
Others fear being pushed into private institutions with higher fees if public JSS centres are shut.
“With the year ending, we don’t know where our children will report to in January,” one parent said.
Teacher representatives blamed what they termed “bureaucratic delays” in processing files at regional offices.
They said some schools submitted all required documents months ago but have yet to receive any updates.
The group is demanding an immediate audit of all pending applications and a public communication from the Ministry on which schools will be cleared for 2025.
They warned they are prepared to escalate to countywide demonstrations or a sit-in if the matter is not resolved before the beginning of the next academic term.
“We are not fighting the government,” a union representative said. “We are fighting for our jobs and for the future of these children.”
The Ministry of Education had not issued a formal response by the time of publication.
