TSC Releases List Of P1 Teachers Qualified For World Bank Upgrading

The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has released a comprehensive list of 38,849 primary school teachers who have been declared eligible for the World Bank-funded upgrading programme, a move that is expected to significantly transform the delivery of education in Kenya’s junior secondary schools.

According to TSC, the shortlisted teachers are those who attained a minimum mean grade of C+ (plus) in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination, in addition to securing at least a C+ in two teaching subjects.

These requirements are in line with the new competency-based curriculum (CBC) standards, which demand that teachers handling junior school classes possess strong subject mastery as well as enhanced pedagogical skills.

However, the announcement has sparked anxiety and confusion among thousands of teachers who only managed a mean grade of C (plain) in their KCSE results.

Many of these teachers, who had initially been hopeful of inclusion in the programme, have been left in limbo after their names failed to appear on the list. The omission has raised fears that they may be locked out of the highly anticipated training set to commence in November.

Initially, the TSC had communicated that all P1 teachers with a KCSE mean grade of C (plain) and above, provided they had scored at least a C+ in two teaching subjects, would qualify for the upgrade. This earlier assurance had given many teachers confidence to submit their details for verification. The latest memo, however, appears to contradict that position, narrowing eligibility strictly to those with a C+ mean grade and above.

In a circular dated September 18, the Commission directed its Regional and County Directors to carefully verify the list of shortlisted teachers to ensure that their details, particularly names and registration numbers are consistent with TSC records.

This step, TSC explained, is meant to avoid duplication, errors, or inclusion of unqualified candidates in the programme. The upgrading Initiative, which is fully sponsored by the World Bank, is designed to equip teachers with new professional competencies required under the CBC framework.

The training will cover a wide range of areas, including learner-centered teaching methodologies, assessment strategies, integration of technology in teaching, and handling of junior school learners transitioning from upper primary.

Education stakeholders have welcomed the programme as a timely intervention to strengthen the country’s teaching workforce, particularly as the CBC continues to be rolled out in phases. However, the exclusion of teachers with a KCSE mean grade of C (plain) has drawn criticism from sections of the teaching fraternity.

Some have argued that many of these teachers, despite their lower entry grades, have years of classroom experience and have consistently demonstrated competence in delivering the curriculum.

The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) and other teacher associations are expected to weigh in on the matter, with calls already emerging for TSC to reconsider its decision and reinstate the earlier criteria.

Observers note that should the current directive stand, thousands of teachers risk being sidelined, potentially affecting morale and creating gaps in junior school staffing.

For now, the 38,849 shortlisted teachers will proceed with preparations for the November training, which is projected to run in phases across the country. The outcome of this programme is expected to set a precedent for future teacher professional development models in Kenya, particularly those aligned with international partnerships such as the World Bank.

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