The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has proposed revising the minimum entry level for individuals aiming to be teachers by scraping the P1 Certificate Level of education for trainees.
According to the latest proposal, TSC is seeking to have a Diploma Certificate as the lowest level of study for all teachers including those training to teach at ECDE level.
The Commission stated that it aims to have all recruits score a minimum grade of C and a D plain in Mathematics.
Further, TSC is also aiming to ensure that all the teachers score a minimum of C- in English.
While defending the move, the TSC noted that the move is aimed at improving performance of candidates in the national exams.
“If you do an analysis of KCSE results, the worst subject performance in the Republic of Kenya at KCPE or KCSE is Mathematics and Languages,” stated Cavin Anyour, the Director of Law TSC.
However, the chairperson of the Commission, Nancy Macharia clarified that TSC is currently engaged in consultations with the Ministry of Education to determine the course of action for teachers in training who did not meet the newly set requirements.
“The teachers who are currently in colleges, and may not have the necessary requisite qualifications, we are consulting with the Ministry and I know at the end of the day, we will have a solution so that should not be a problem,” stated Nancy Macharia
In addition to the reforms in entry requirements, the commission has also proposed new stringent disciplinary measures for teachers.
According to the commission, these reforms will promote professionalism in the industry and to attract more people to the profession.
Some proposed reforms include the deregistering of teachers engaged in gross misconduct such as having affairs with students.
Further the commission assured it would promote 36,505 teachers over the course of 2024, as the government had allocated Ksh1 billion for the same purpose in the financial year 2024/2025.
However, the Commission has come under scrutiny for some of the proposed reforms with some people claiming that its not within its power to institute the reforms.
