All teachers will be required to undergo fresh training if President William Ruto approves the recommendations from the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) task force.
The training is meant to align teachers with the changes in the school curriculum. The recommendations were presented to the head of state by the CBC task force, led by Professor Raphael Munavu.
The task force presented their report findings to the President at the State House on Tuesday, August 1. In the report, the task force emphasizes the need to retool teachers on the new curriculum. The proposed training is expected to last for a year.
The task force recommended that the Ministry of Education develop guidelines for a mandatory one-year retooling and upgrading program for all teachers who graduated before 2023. This program aims to ensure that teachers are equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills to effectively implement the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).
To facilitate this retooling exercise, the task force directed universities to create comprehensive Faculty Staff programs specifically designed for competency-based teacher education. This will help prepare teachers for the changes in teaching methodologies and assessment techniques under the CBC.
In a bid to enhance the quantity and quality of teachers in the profession, the task force also proposed that individuals with a minimum of a C (Plain) grade in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) or its equivalent be admitted into pre-service teacher education.
This requirement applies to various pre-service courses, such as Diploma in Early Childhood Teacher Education, Diploma in Secondary Teacher Education, Diploma in Special Needs Education, and Diploma in Technical Teacher Education.
Teacher training college and education management system
Furthermore, the task force suggested the establishment of a Kenya Teacher Training College (KeTTC) to administer all Pre-service teacher training colleges (TTCs) as campuses. This move is aimed at promoting optimal utilization and sharing of resources to enhance the quality of teacher training across the country.
In addition to pre-service training, the task force recommended the establishment of a Kenya School of Teacher and Education Management (KeSTEM) as a corporate body to coordinate all In-service programs for institutional leaders and education officers. KeSTEM will also offer Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programs for teachers, utilizing facilities of Kenya Teacher Training Colleges (KeTTC).
While the admission requirements for Bachelor of Education degree programs will still be determined by Universities’ Senates, the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) will provide all education graduates with an opportunity to undertake a mandatory one-year internship program upon completing their pre-service training.
This internship will further enhance their practical teaching skills and better prepare them for classroom responsibilities.
Challenges of implementing CBC
The introduction of the CBC faced significant challenges since its rollout during former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s tenure, including a shortage of teachers for the Junior Secondary (JS) sector and inadequate remuneration for JS teachers.
To address these issues, the government has taken steps to recruit more teachers and improve their working conditions.
