In a Facebook post dated Friday, September 18, 2026, the committee said the delegation – led by Baringo North MP Joseph Makilap – had met with teachers’ unions, parents, learners, faith‑based groups, private schools, representatives of persons with disabilities and members of the public across the two counties.
Stakeholders in Narok voiced strong support for keeping JSS within the comprehensive school framework. The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) argued that the system was already working and should be reinforced, urging clear discipline guidelines after the planned removal of corporal punishment. The Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (KESSHA) echoed this stance, proposing that JSS remain domiciled in primary schools while Early Childhood Development (ECD) stays part of the comprehensive structure.
Conversely, the Kenya Union of Post‑Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) called for the removal of any reference to comprehensive schools from the Basic Education Bill. KUPPET wants JSS recognised as separate, autonomous institutions with their own Boards of Management, insisting that sharing a school compound should not equate to merged administration. The union’s Kisumu branch executive secretary, Osuna George, reiterated the demand for independent JSS during the hearing.
Beyond school structure, participants raised broader financing concerns. Representatives from Maasai Mara University and student leaders opposed the proposed 25 percent loan‑repayment rate, urging a graduated scheme linked to PAYE taxable income. Advocates for persons with disabilities pressed for disability‑responsive funding in tertiary education, including support for assistive technology and personal assistants.
The committee said it had taken note of all concerns and would incorporate them into its forthcoming report. Public participation is slated to resume on Monday, September 21, 2026, in other regions of the country as Parliament continues to shape the Education Reform Bills.
The divergent positions highlight a key policy crossroads: whether Kenya will adopt a unified comprehensive school model that integrates JSS or move toward a bifurcated system granting junior secondary schools independent governance, a decision that will affect funding allocations, administrative structures and the delivery of education services nationwide.