The government must now fulfill its pledge by funding the program after a petition contesting the execution of the Teacher Professional Development (TPD) was dismissed.
The Employment and Labour Relations Court in Nakuru dismissed this week a plea by Mr. Joseph Ngethe Karanja, who sought the program’s cancellation due to a lack of public support and teaching rights violations.
After determining that the procedure was compliant with the Constitution, Justice David Nderitu gave the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) the go-ahead to continue carrying out the TPD program.
However, instructors are now anticipating that Dr. William Ruto’s administration will keep its commitment and cover the expense of training.
Ruto declared that his government would cover the cost of the contentious teacher training program during the campaign and manifesto launch at the Moi Sports Centre Kasarani in Nairobi.
Through the Kenya Kwanza Education Charter, this commitment is further highlighted by the nation’s fifth President.
“Ensure that all the government initiated capacity building trainings including Teacher Continuous Professional Development are undertaken by trainers free of charge,” reads the document.
When this promise will be kept, though, is yet unknown. Teachers were invited to attend their training in September after schools let out, and they had to pay Sh 6,000 for the first module, which lasts until December.
“September 2022 Intake is ongoing and the online training will be conducted from Monday 19th September 2022 to Friday 23rd September 2022,” read an advert by Mount Kenya University.
The expense of training teachers employed by TSC will run the Dr. Ruto’s administration at least sh 2 billion annually. At least 320,000 teachers are employed by TSC.
On September 22, 2021, TSC announced the beginning of the TPD, mandating all teachers registered with the commission to complete the six-module course that would serve as the foundation for their future employment and promotion.
Before moving on to the next module, each instructor must pay Sh6,000 for the previous module, which is valid for five years.
The Kenya Education Management Institute, Mt. Kenya University, Kenyatta University, and Riara University were chosen to provide the professional training.
Less frequently than in the past, teachers have physically attended training sessions at various approved schools.
Despite the teachers’ unions’ requests, the Commission has not yet shortened the time required to train new instructors.
Collins Oyuu, the secretary general of the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut), has requested that teachers who are nearing retirement age be excluded from the scheme.
According to Oyuu, Knut and TSC concurred that the commission hold awareness-raising sessions for all teachers to help them comprehend TPD and its implementation.
According to him, the lack of sufficient sensitization led to the resistance that was observed when the TPD program was implemented.
All registered teachers are required to pay their own expenses to attend the course, per TSC’s directive.
The program consists of six modules. Training is carried out over the holidays. Teachers will receive a number of points at the conclusion of every module.
Since the modules have been anchored in the professional progression criteria, instructors will be qualified for re-certification and advancement once they have completed all of the modules.
