The teachers’ employer, Teachers Service Commission, is proposing that minimum grades in teaching subjects be raised from the current grade of C+ to B- Minimum in KCSE.
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As per to this proposal, the teachers who will taking learners in Junior Secondary School (JSS) And Senior Secondary School (SSS) as outlined in the Competence Based Curriculum therefore will have to undertake three subjects. At the moment teachers in secondary school teach two subject and in each teaching subject ,it is a requirement that they score c+ and above.
The teachers’ employer has however proposed that the minimum entry mean grade into colleges and universities will remain to KCSE Mean grade of C+.
Additionally the teachers’ employer is proposing for the scrapping off of the Bachelor of Education Science and Bachelor of Education Arts. The two courses will be replaced with Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts respectively.
The proposals are clearly outlined in the policy document by TSC titled, Framework for Entry in the Teaching Service.
According to the commission, the students intending to train as teachers will have to first undertake Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science courses for a period of three years majoring on the key subjects and, thereafter, undertake a Postgraduate Diploma in Education for a period of one year for teaching at junior and senior school and SNE (Special Needs Education later after graduation.
Part of the document reads, “All the 8-4-4 and Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) students must undertake first, Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science courses for a period of three years majoring on the key subjects and, thereafter, undertake a Postgraduate Diploma in Education for a period of one year for teaching at junior and senior school and SNE (Special Needs Education).
The other new recommendations are that the minimum qualification for entry into teaching in Kenya at all levels be a diploma in Education.
These new proposals according to the commission are meant to equip educators with enough knowledge and practical experience on teaching.
Back in last year, this proposals elicited mixed reactions with lecturers and the University Academic Staff Union strongly opposing them.
Most lecturers said that they received the framework with a lot of shock and are keenly analysing it before authoring a counter report.
In a statement, Dr Wilfridah Itolondo, Kenyatta University UASU chapter vice-chairpersonsaid “They want to erase the Bachelors of Education programme so that all students just enrol for either Bachelor of Arts or of Science. When they graduate and one is interested in teaching, he or she must return for a postgraduate diploma in education.”
