The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) is set to lower the minimum entry grade for diploma teacher training courses from C+ to C plain in sweeping reforms that will also recognise single teaching subjects and new Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) learning areas.
The reforms will overhaul the teacher registration framework contained in Legal Notice No. 50 of 2016 and align TTC and university admissions with the new requirements.
In a statement released on Thursday, the Commission said the review of the 2016 regulations is necessary due to major transformations in the education sector, including curriculum reforms and changing national priorities.
“The education sector has undergone a significant transformation… These developments necessitate a review of the existing legal and regulatory framework to ensure it remains responsive, relevant, and aligned with current and emerging trends nationally and globally,” the Commission noted.
TSC Acting CEO Evaleen Mitei said the commission is overhauling the teacher registration framework, warning that those who fail to meet the new requirements will not be registered as teachers.
Teachers Service Commission CEO Evaleen Mitei.
Photo credit: Bonface Bogita | Nation Media Group
Under the proposed changes, TSC will recognise single teaching subjects for registration, lower the minimum entry grade for diploma TTC programmes to C plain, and introduce registration requirements for new CBC learning areas.
“The entry to TTCs and Universities will change to align with the new registration framework. The new framework borrows heavily from the recommendations of the Presidential Working Party on Education reform. The framework will apply from the date it is enacted into law to applicants seeking registration as teachers. Interns are already registered teachers,” said Ms Mitei.
The commission will also recognise the Montessori curriculum for Early Childhood Development teachers.
Ms Mitei said the framework will only apply once enacted into law and will affect new applicants seeking teacher registration, noting that intern teachers are already registered and will not be affected.
“Those who shall not meet the registration requirements will not be registered as teachers. Some of the notable changes include recognition of single subjects for purposes of registration, adjusting entry grade for TTCs to C plain for the Diploma programmes, setting out registration requirements for the new learning areas, recognition of the Montessori curriculum for ECD teachers,” she said.
The current regulations under Regulation 20 of the TSC Code of Regulations for Teachers prescribe rigid academic thresholds for teacher registration.
For instance, diploma teachers are currently required to attain a minimum KCSE mean grade of C+ and score C+ in two teaching subjects before qualifying for registration.
Graduate teachers are also required to meet minimum grades in teaching subjects before being registered by TSC.
Currently, Regulation 20 of the TSC Code of Regulations for Teachers requires diploma teachers to attain a minimum KCSE mean grade of C+ and C+ in two teaching subjects before registration. Graduate teachers are also required to meet minimum grades in teaching subjects before registration by TSC.
Earlier, TSC revised the academic qualifications required for individuals intending to pursue a degree in education. Mathematics is no longer a subject to consider.
The proposed changes target teacher registration requirements, with a focus on ensuring that entry standards reflect both current and future demands in the education system. According to the Commission, the reforms are intended to safeguard and improve the quality of education in the country.
The Commission further stated that the review process is being conducted in line with the Statutory Instruments Act, 2013, and includes consultations with key stakeholders and members of the public.
“As part of the process, we are inviting members of the public to access the proposed amendments and submit their views,” the statement added, directing stakeholders to the Commission’s official website and a dedicated email for feedback.
