Mount Kenya University (MKU) management has refuted claims that the controversial Teacher Professional Development (TPD) has been suspended.
The management says it has not received an official communication from Teachers Service Commission (TSC) on suspension.
MKU has released their official advertisement for the roll out of the September 2022 TPD training programme.
In the advert MKU management is asking teachers to enroll for its September training which starts on 19th September.
“September 2022 Intake is ongoing and the online training will be conducted from Monday 19th September 2022 to Friday 23rd September 2022,” reads the advert.
Teachers are also been asked to pay ksh. 6,000 for the introductory module which is ongoing.
Each teacher will be required to pay a maximum fee of Ksh 6,000 per year to take part in the training.
Payment will be paid either through Mpesa Pay Bill-Business Number 4078701 Account number being the teachers TSC Number or Deposit be made at Equity Bank, Account Name: Mount Kenya University Teacher Professional Development, Account Number: 1550281262747.
Teachers are alive to Dr William Ruto’s promise that his government will pay for the infamous TPD training.
Dr Ruto said this during his manifesto launch at the Moi Sports Centre Kasarani, Nairobi.
Mount Kenya University is one of the universities contracted to offer the TPD training to teachers.
Others are Kenyatta University, Riara University and Kenya Education Management Institute which are responsible for the training and have been contracted on an annual agreement with an extension option.
There are six modules in the programme. The training is conducted during holidays. At the end of each module, teachers will be given several points.
After completing all the modules, teachers will be eligible for re-certification and promotion since the modules have been anchored in the career progression guidelines.
In July training teachers were asked to pay for the TPD modules despite allocation for the same in Parliament.
The National Treasury allocated Sh1.16 billion to Teachers Service Commission for the sole purpose of training teachers.
In the 2022-2023 budget, the commission had set aside Sh289.37 billion as gross current and capital estimates and Sh7.23 billion for general administration, planning and support services.
The allocation was made after lobbying and requests by the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) through the education and budget committees.
“I thank Parliament for being a friend of the teachers despite opposition from the executive which has insisted each teacher gathers for the programme,” MP Ronald Tonui said.
Tonui was a member of the education committee. Tonui said teachers will now undergo the training without spending a shilling.
He said there were concerns from teachers who claim they were facing difficulties in getting money for the courses.
The MP said TSC should follow up with the National Treasury to have the funds disbursed.
The policy by the commission is under the career progression guidelines and was introduced to replace the old scheme of service for teachers.
Teacher Professional Development, which had initially faced strong opposition from teachers’ unions, was implemented late last year.
It has seen all employed teachers in public schools undergo the training during their holiday season in compliance with the regulation.
A policy paper prepared by TSC in 2018 states that teachers will be trained for about five days during school holidays.
Upon commencement of the programme, a teacher will be required to acquire a certificate which is renewable every five years.
The guidelines outline the minimum requirements for teachers’ employment and promotion and spell out the new grading structures and their respective salary scales.
TSC rolled out the professional development course after four years of opposition from the Kenya National Union of Teachers under Wilson Sossion.
Former Knut secretary general Wilson Sossion had opposed the programme terming it illegal saying they had not been involved in crafting it.
TSC CEO Nancy Machari defended the rollout of the programme saying it updates teacher knowledge, skills, attitude and values and encourages teachers’ learning communities.
Macharia said the teachers will also be up to date with the changes in the academic world.