Diploma in Early Years and Primary Teacher Education (DEYPTE): Research has shown Early Years and Primary Teacher Education could be competently handled as one programme because the learners involved span from age four to 12, when there is a very regular and consistent cognitive and behavioural developmental pattern that is important for all teachers of children to understand.

My interviews with teachers, at the pre-primary and primary levels show tutors wish for flexibility of movement between the two levels, depending on interest, availability of job opportunities (either at the counties, TSC and even abroad), and maximal utilisation of staff.

In addition, most early childhood/pre-primary programmes are usually located within primary schools or adjacent to them and are mostly sponsored by the same communities/ and or churches or private organisations.

Indeed, many schools have integrated administrative structures for both the pre-primary and primary units. This kind of training will enable more cohesion and maximal utilisation of the competencies of the teaching and support staff.

Considering the current renewed confidence in KCSE results, Kenya could consider placing the entry grade for this level of teachers to C- (Minus) but with at least a C plain in English being the medium of instruction, and at least a D+ in Mathematics to enable them to facilitate numeracy.

This way, we shall be giving room to some potentially talented teachers who may not have done very well in KCSE to re-discover themselves and progress from that point. These teachers should train to teach all learning areas/subjects at the pre-primary and primary levels, as is the current practice.

Diploma in Secondary Teacher Education (DSTE): In the context of CBC, we could have this level of Teacher Education mainly target Junior Secondary Level. These teachers will actually have specialised in particular subjects that they could facilitate even at senior secondary levels.

Second, while some junior secondary schools may be established separately from senior schools, in CBC, we need to anticipate situations where some schools will host these two levels and could make maximal utilisation of Diploma teachers and Bachelors graduates.

We can also anticipate situations where some schools initially offering junior secondary level education will be approved to start offering senior school options and some of these teachers will be handy. The entry grade for this cadre of teachers could stay at C Plain in KCSE with at least a C Plain in English, and of course C+ in at least two teaching subjects.

The entry grades suggested above of C Minus and C Plain, for DEYPTE and DSTE respectively, upon attaining their teacher education certificates should qualify them to join universities (if they wish) to u-grade to the Bachelors level, with relevant unit waivers. 

In view of the proposals so far given, I suggest that the junior secondary school could be placed within some of the existing secondary schools, particularly those that have emerged in the last 10 years, popularly referred to as CDF schools. This is because they have been largely supported by the Constituency Development Funds.

Diploma in Early Years and Primary Teacher Education (DEYPTE): Research has shown Early Years and Primary Teacher Education could be competently handled as one programme because the learners involved span from age four to 12, when there is a very regular and consistent cognitive and behavioural developmental pattern that is important for all teachers of children to understand.

My interviews with teachers, at the pre-primary and primary levels show tutors wish for flexibility of movement between the two levels, depending on interest, availability of job opportunities (either at the counties, TSC and even abroad), and maximal utilisation of staff.

In addition, most early childhood/pre-primary programmes are usually located within primary schools or adjacent to them and are mostly sponsored by the same communities/ and or churches or private organisations.

Indeed, many schools have integrated administrative structures for both the pre-primary and primary units. This kind of training will enable more cohesion and maximal utilisation of the competencies of the teaching and support staff.

Considering the current renewed confidence in KCSE results, Kenya could consider placing the entry grade for this level of teachers to C- (Minus) but with at least a C plain in English being the medium of instruction, and at least a D+ in Mathematics to enable them to facilitate numeracy.

This way, we shall be giving room to some potentially talented teachers who may not have done very well in KCSE to re-discover themselves and progress from that point. These teachers should train to teach all learning areas/subjects at the pre-primary and primary levels, as is the current practice.

Diploma in Secondary Teacher Education (DSTE): In the context of CBC, we could have this level of Teacher Education mainly target Junior Secondary Level. These teachers will actually have specialised in particular subjects that they could facilitate even at senior secondary levels.

Second, while some junior secondary schools may be established separately from senior schools, in CBC, we need to anticipate situations where some schools will host these two levels and could make maximal utilisation of Diploma teachers and Bachelors graduates.

We can also anticipate situations where some schools initially offering junior secondary level education will be approved to start offering senior school options and some of these teachers will be handy. The entry grade for this cadre of teachers could stay at C Plain in KCSE with at least a C Plain in English, and of course C+ in at least two teaching subjects.

The entry grades suggested above of C Minus and C Plain, for DEYPTE and DSTE respectively, upon attaining their teacher education certificates should qualify them to join universities (if they wish) to u-grade to the Bachelors level, with relevant unit waivers. 

In view of the proposals so far given, I suggest that the junior secondary school could be placed within some of the existing secondary schools, particularly those that have emerged in the last 10 years, popularly referred to as CDF schools. This is because they have been largely supported by the Constituency Development Funds.