TSC Bids to Revive TPD Program, Raise Entry Requirement
The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) is making efforts to revive the Teacher Professional Development (TPD) scheme, which was halted by the Labour Court in 2019. A TSC Amendment Bill 2024, recently presented in Parliament, proposes changes to empower the Commission to incorporate TPD into its regulatory mandate.
The adjustments aim to address the loopholes identified by the Labour Court during the suspension of the program.
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Back in 2019, the court noted the lack of regulation in the TPD program, leading to an absence of a valid implementation matrix.
TSC CEO Nancy Macharia disclosed plans for the commission to bear the cost of the continuous training initiative, requesting an additional Sh 3.2 billion for its implementation. This financial allocation, however, is contingent upon approval from Members of Parliament.
Under the previous arrangement, teachers paid Sh6,000 for each module offered during school holidays. TSC’s Legal Affairs Director Cavin Anyuor emphasized the importance of continuous professional development for teachers, aligning with the evolving demands of the 21st-century education sector.
TSC’s proposed amendments suggest prohibiting teachers who neglect prescribed continuous professional development programs from teaching in both public and private institutions. The amendments also advocate for annual renewal of professional certificates, a change from the initial proposal of renewal every five years.
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A key point of contention is the responsibility for teacher training. In the suspended program, TSC engaged four institutions on an annual basis: Kenyatta University, Mount Kenya University, Riara, and Kenya Education Management Institute.
However, the Presidential Working Party recommended the establishment of the Kenya School of Teacher and Education Management (KeSTEM) to coordinate professional training.
The proposed changes by TSC may spark conflicts with teachers’ unions and other stakeholders due to the revision of entry requirements for teacher training institutes.
The Commission argues for an increase in the minimum requirements to train as a teacher under the new education curriculum. Currently, individuals who scored a D in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education exams are eligible to join the teaching profession.
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Macharia emphasized the link between the quality of education and the quality of teachers, supporting the need for a revised qualification framework to elevate the teaching profession’s status, especially in the international job market.
Anyuor argued, “Teaching is the mother of all professions; you want the quality of the teacher to be high, producing professionals like engineers and pilots who will excel in their fields.”
TSC Bids to Revive TPD Program, Raise Entry Requirement