The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has made changes to course requirements undertaken by tutors before they are allowed to join the work force.
A report by Daily Nation on Thursday, May 27, indicated that the commission had resorted to scrapping off Bachelor of Education Degree that thousands of teachers pursued before securing employment.
Instead, teachers will henceforth be expected to pursue a Bachelor of Arts course or a Bachelor of Science for a period of three years.
After attaining the Degree, they will be expected to enroll for post-graduate course for a period of one year before they are cleared to apply for TSC number.
According to TSC Quality Assurance Director Reuben Nthamburi, the new change is expected to take effect in September this year.
He also revealed that the move to switch academic requirements for teachers was informed by the ongoing reforms brought about by the introduction of the Competence Based Curriculum (CBC).
"In order to professionalise the teaching service and improve the quality of education, the commission needs to review entry grades to the teaching service and advice the national government.
"This will raise the standards of the teaching professional and attract more quality grades," stated Nthamburi in the report.
For now, those looking to pursue the aforementioned courses will be required to attain a C+ grade in their Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) and a minimum of B- (minus) in either sciences or arts.
The phased out course was introduced in 1972 at a time the employer could commission untrained teachers after suffering acute shortage.
University officials and lecturers were, however, angered with the move arguing that it was unnecessary and unfounded, according to People Daily.
They claimed that if the system is adopted, many Education departments in Universities across the country would be rendered jobless.
Education CS George Magoha has previously confirmed that the state had followed CBC rollout across the country to the latter to ensure that the new system is adopted uniformly.
Officials from the Ministry of Education on Thursday, May 20, closed down 30 schools in Nakuru County for failing to comply with the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) regulations.
Nakuru West Deputy County Commissioner Michael Lesimam noted that the crackdown on rogue schools which did not comply with the directives stipulated by the Ministry has begun.
Lesimam faulted the closed schools for having substandard building structures. He pointed out at an incident in September 2019 where a classroom collapsed in Precious Talent school. The accident led to the demise of seven students.
