The Kenya National Examinations Council (Knec)) has asked Principals of Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) colleges to collect results for their 2021 candidates which are ready for pickup.
Through an email and SMS Knec has asked colleges to pick their results at Mitihani house in Nairobi. Colleges are expected to issue the 2021 candidate with result slips.
The 2021 candidates are the last lot to sit for the ECDE Certificate and Diploma courses under 8.4.4 curriculum.
The examiner had assured those who will get referrals that they will be given a chance to resit for the papers they fail.
“Am hopeful to get better results cause I had prepared well and did my best in the exams,” said Saumu Shombo, a candidate in Kwale DICECE awaiting for her results.
Most of the ECDE colleges were thrown into oblivion after coming of the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC). Currently only selected Teacher Training Colleges (TTCs) offer training for ECDE teachers.
The minimum KCSE entry grade also changed to C (plain) locking thousands of form four leavers from taking the course.
Currently those studying Diploma in Early Childhood Teacher Education (DECTE) take three years and must have at least C (plain) in KCSE exams.
In addition the teachers must have C (plain) in Mathematics, English and Kiswahili. They must also have C (plain) in humanities (any one subject) and sciences (any one subject).
For candidates with special needs the entry grade is C- (minus) including the subjects required above.
In July last year the Ministry of education and other stakeholders issued a circular requiring all p1 and ECDE teachers to upgrade to DPTE and DECTE respectively.
However those who are employed by TSC and counties will wait till 2023 when they can start the training which takes six months.
Those who joined are already registered for their final assessment. The registration happened in December.
Currenlty ECDE teachers are employed by county governments which pay differing salaries. However in a recent resolution the governors agreed to implement ECDE schemes of service for teachers.
REQUIREMENTS FOR ECDE TEACHERS WHO WANT TO UPGRADE TO DECTE
- A valid copy of PTE/ECDE certificate
- Certificate of registration by Teachers Service Commission ( for those who graduated before 2020)
- A certified copy of Identity Card (both sides)
- A certified copy of College Leaving Certificate.
- A certified copy of Co-curricular Activity Certificate obtained (if any).
- KCSE certificate
- 2 recent passport size photographs
- A letter as evidence of adherence to positive moral values and good behavior
For ECDE upgrading, they will do all the learning areas in DECTE with more hours than in PTE upgrading
Both DECTE and DPTE Upgrading Programme will use the same curriculum designs developed for the Diploma CBTEC
The total number of the content and pedagogical hours in the Upgrading Programmes will be 786 hours for DPTE and 1176 hours for DECTE
Summary Updates:
1. Both DPTE and DECTE Upgrading Programmes reported in October in the TTCs that did not have teacher trainees.
2. The upgrading programme shall take 4 terms for DPTE and 5 terms for DECTE. Both will have course work and a full term for practicum
3. Blended learning and distance learning will be considered in due course.
4. Graduates for the Upgrading Programmes shall be expected to teach all the subjects offered in the area of training.
5. The graduates will be issued with a Diploma after successful completion of the upgrade course
6. The trainees shall undertake a Teaching Practicum of 300 Hours.
7. To be awarded the Diploma, the trainee must complete the required hours for Course Work and pass the stipulated assessment by the Kenya National Examination Council.
All ECDE teachers are also expected to take Teacher Professional Development (TPD) training recently launched by TSC.
The teachers will each pay sh. 6,000 per year for the training which take 30 years. TSC said all teachers with a TSC number must attend for the training.
Those who will fail to attend the training will not be issued with a teaching certificate (license) and hence will not be able to teach.
The license is renewable after every five years and only after taking the TPD modules successfully.