All Teachers to Undergo Mandatory CBC Training
Starting from April 2024, all teachers registered with the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) will be required to undergo a one-year mandatory training program in schools to adapt to the changes in the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC). However, it remains uncertain whether the government or the teachers themselves will bear the cost of this training.
This proposal is part of a draft report presented to President William Ruto by the Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms (PWPER) at the State House. The Education Reforms Taskforce’s recommendations have already been put into immediate effect by Ruto, emphasizing the need to retrain teachers in light of the curriculum modifications.
The taskforce suggested that the Ministry of Education should establish guidelines for all teachers who graduated before 2023 to undergo this mandatory one-year retooling and upgrading program to align with the curriculum changes.
Professor Raphael Munavu, who led the taskforce, called for the creation of comprehensive Faculty Staff programs to prepare for competency-based teacher training.
Furthermore, the task committee recommended that a minimum grade of C (Plain) be required for applicants entering pre-service teacher education programs to improve the quantity and quality of teachers entering the profession. Specific pre-service courses such as Diploma in Early Childhood Teacher Education, Diploma in Secondary Teacher Education, Diploma in Special Needs Education, and Diploma in Technical Teacher Education were also mentioned, all requiring a C (Plain).
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Additionally, the proposal suggested the establishment of the Kenya Teacher Training College (KeTTC) to oversee all pre-service teacher training institutions (TTCs) as campuses, aiming to optimize resource utilization and distribution.
Moreover, the report recommended the creation of the Kenya School of Teacher and Education Management (KeSTEM) as a corporate organization to coordinate all in-service programs for institutional directors and education executives.
KeSTEM would also offer continuous professional development (CPD) for teachers, utilizing resources provided by Kenya Teacher Training Colleges (KeTTC).
It’s important to note that admission standards for Bachelor of Education degree programs will continue to be set by University Senates. Additionally, the Teachers Service Commission will provide education graduates with the opportunity to participate in a mandatory one-year internship program following the completion of pre-service training.
The Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) has faced various challenges since its introduction, including a shortage of teachers for the Junior Secondary (JS) sector and issues with the compensation structure for JS teachers.
These challenges have persisted, with reports indicating that a significant number of eligible primary school teachers had not applied for positions teaching junior secondary as of July 2023, despite efforts by TSC to hire more instructors from primary schools.
All Teachers to Undergo Mandatory CBC Training
