Inside TSC Plans To Do Away With Employment Of P1 Teachers

The Teachers Service Commission, TSC, has announced its plan to scrap off PTE certificate as the minimum requirement for entry into the teaching service following a plan document tagged ‘Framework on entry requirement in the teaching service’

According to TSC, they have replaced it with a Diploma which will be in line with the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC). The Commission says that for a teacher to be employed to teach Grade 1 to 6 he/she must possess a Diploma in Primary Teacher Education (DPTE).

Currently, the TSC minimum qualification for entry into teaching in Kenya at all levels is a Diploma in Education. The commission also indicates that it will recognize post-training upgrade certificates for teachers who completed ECDE, PTE, DTE BED, DIP ED, and SNE training courses.

It further stated that the teachers will then be allowed to teach Grade 1-3 and 4-6 with some specialization in the indigenous and foreign languages.

According to TSC data, at least 229,00 P1 teachers are upgrading their skills in various Teacher Training Colleges (TTCs). These latest recommendations are a blow to P1 teachers who are hoping that the Commission will employ them without upgrading their Primary Teacher Education (PTE) certificates.

In the July recruitment of teachers, TSC favored P1 teachers who have upgraded to diplomas. In the new scoresheet released, the Commission awarded 10 marks to teachers with evidence of CBC upgrade certificate during recruitment interviews.

However, no teacher had the Upgrade certificate since the pioneer Upgraders are now set to start their teaching practice when schools reopen in September before being awarded the CBC upgrade certificate.

Most Diploma upgraders faulted the scoresheet saying the marks awarded are too little compared to what the Commission awards intern teachers.

Some of the agents have hinted that the TSC will stop the employment of P1 teachers in 2024 and that those who are yet to upgrade should join. However, many P1 teachers say they are unable to meet the training fee which is above sh. 100,000 in many colleges when practicum and KNEC assessment fees are included.

Related Content: Requirements For P1 Teachers To Be Deployed To Junior Secondary Schools