TSC Fights Back CS Amina Mohamed's Directive of Students Enrolling to Colleges with Low Grades

The Teachers Service Commission on Thursday cautioned that it will not register members who will enroll in training colleges with lower grades.

According to Daily Nation, TSC Chief Executive Officer Nancy Macharia disregarded the proposal by Kenya National Qualifications Authority (KNQA).

The proposal stipulated that students seeking to pursue a diploma in education could join the training colleges with a C plain or C- in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exam which is a change from the previous requirement of a C+.

“Should persons with lower qualifications opt to train as teachers, they face the danger of not being registered by the commission on account of non-compliance with the Commission’s standards,” stated Macharia.

A grade of D+ will now allow a student to enroll for a certificate in education (popularly known as P1) after it was lowered from a C plain.

The TSC further explained that the authority had no powers to decide the entry grade for those joining the teaching service, warning that it will not acknowledge such teachers.

“Lowering of minimum entry standards for teachers is a serious affront to national development and may be a recipe for a failed future economy,” read a letter from the commission.

Macharia pointed out that lowering of entry grades for teacher training is mainly preferable where there exists a sustained lack of interest in the profession like in Zimbabwe.

The CEO highlighted that the commission has the warrant to review the standards of education and training of people entering the teaching service and to advise the national government on matters dealing with the teaching profession.

Education Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed has invited TSC, KNQA and Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) for a crisis meeting on Thursday October 4, 2018, in Nairobi to address the issue.