In addition to being a lone wolf, the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) is also good at seeking controversy. During last year’s Kenya Primary School Headteachers Association (KEPSHA) meeting in Mombasa, Deputy Staffing Director Antonina Lentojioni told the heads that TSC will not alter the admission requirements for teaching in primary schools.
Teachers-to-be must must have an average grade of C on the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exam. In addition, they must have a grade of C or higher in English, Kiswahili, Mathematics, and any of the humanities.
Previously, a grade of C was the minimum entrance requirement. The upgrade of the Certificate of Primary to a diploma in primary teacher education may have created an increase in the entry requirement for the diploma programme.
According to the responses of KEPSHA and the Kenya Private Schools Association, it appears that these modifications were not based on stakeholder input and did not take their opinions into account. The fact that the matter was brought up at the conference in Mombasa is evidence that TSC did not explore all aspects prior to hiking college entrance requirements.
Certainly, the ability of teachers is contingent upon the quality of individuals admitted to the teachers training program. However, I am not convinced that KCSE performance is the best predictor of competency in teaching.
Unquestionably, content is king, which is why qualified teachers must have enough training. Strengthening academic programs, i.e. the subject matter that teachers are required to teach, is the purpose of identifying the type of teacher best suited to teach a certain curriculum. In addition to KCSE scores, the level of subject matter preparation of teachers is essential.
According to my teaching of the TSC’s perspective, teachers are deemed competent based solely on the professional aspects of their training. TSC should recognize that excellent KCSE scores are not indicative of a teacher’s skill in curriculum delivery. A mean grade of C indicates that a student’s general intellect is sufficient to allow him or her to play with, learn, and apply knowledge, as well as solve issues.
The objective of primary school education is to foster reading, numeracy, and life skills. This prepares learners for the more rigorous curriculum of secondary school. Consequently, a mean grade of C indicates that a student has the intellectual capacity to prepare for a profession in teaching. It indicates that they are able to participate in professional and academic programs at TTTs.
The Education ministry and TSC should examine if the new Diploma in Primary Education and Training program meets all of the requirements for a teacher at the primary level.
Important for the teacher are both subject matter expertise and a solid foundation in teaching from the TTC. Not what potential KCSE students received. It is the quality of the TTC’s education and training program. Clearly, the new admission criteria exceeds what KCSE results can provide. It also implies that the government could be forced to close some TTCs if TSC does not alter its position.
Mr. Chagema is an assistant editor for The Standard.
