The Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms presented its second interim report to President William Ruto last week.
The taskforce has made proposal to lower the entry grade to the Teacher Training Colleges (TTCs).
The debate in lowering TTC entry grade raged on in 2018 when Amina Mohammed was the CS Education.
During that time the Kenya National Qualifications Authority (KNQA) announced that the entry requirements for diploma and P1 certificate courses have been lowered.
For Diploma in education one was needed to have a C (plain) or C- (minus) in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE), down from the previous C+ (plus) while those seeking a certificate in education (popularly known as P1), were required to have a D+ (plus), down from a C (plain).
“This is in line with the Kenya National Qualifications Framework, which has been widely discussed and adopted by stakeholders,” the then authority’s director-general, Dr Juma Mukhwana, said.
However this proposal did not go through after Teachers Service Commission (TSC), CEO Dr. Nancy Macharia, opposed it saying it will not employ those teachers.
Dr Macharia said affirmative action should not be about lowering entry grades and that quality is important.
Now the second progress report of the Presidential Working Party on Education Reform is focused on tertiary and teacher education.
The team proposes lowering of entry grades to teachers training colleges from C+ to C, with exceptions to marginalised regions whose entry grade would be further lowered to C–(minus).
The major proposals, is to review admission rules to TTCs that the team said has shrunk numbers in the colleges.
The report says the current enrollment in the 34 public pre-service primary teacher training college stands at 3,922, representing only 14.7 per cent. The expected capacity is 26,650 students.
“This means the total idle capacity in the pre-service primary teacher training college is 22,728, representing 85.3 per cent,” reads the report.
The report also says that the current enrollment at the three public diploma in secondary teacher training colleges stands at 1,293, representing 36 per cent, against the expected capacity of 3,600 students.
“This implies that 2,307 (64 per cent) capacity at these colleges lies idle,” reads the report.
Its findings show that nearly half of Kenyans interviewed (48.48 per cent) wanted a review of admission entry grades to TTCs.
It finds that enrollment has been adversely affected by the revised entry requirements in TTCs.
Presently, the entry grade for Diploma in Secondary Teacher Education (DSTE) – Science and Arts option is C+, yet this is the same as the entry requirement for bachelor’s degrees.
Also, the present cluster requirement for admission to Diploma in Primary Teacher Education (DPTE) has also led to diminished admissions to various colleges.
And now, the team proposes that all persons from non-Asal regions seeking to join DPTE to have a mean grade C (plain) or equivalent at Senior School and C- (minus) English or Kiswahili and Mathematics.
Those from Asal regions and trainees with disabilities and special needs will be required to have KCSE mean grade C- minus with with D+ (plus) in English or Kiswahili and D(Plain) in Mathematics.
The task force also proposed that persons seeking to join DSTE to have a mean grade C (plain) with C+ (Plus) in two teaching subjects.
They also suggested requirements for Diploma in Technical Teacher Education (DTTE) to be mean grade C (plain) and C+(Plus) in two STEM teaching subjects.
And for Diploma in Special Needs Education (DSNE), the task force proposes a mean Grade C (plain) or equivalent at Senior School OR C- (minus) for learners with disabilities and special needs.
The trainee for this diploma must however, have qualified first as a primary school teacher (PTE or DPTE).
All the pre-service Diploma Teacher Education courses, according to the taskforce, should have a duration of three years.
“The president asked us whether lowering entry grade is the solution to the problems. He asked us to think deeply what the real cause of problem and prescribe a proper solution,” said a source who attended the meeting.
CURRENT ENTRY REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DIPLOMA IN PRIMARY TEACHER EDUCATION (DPTE)
a) Diploma in Primary Teacher Education (Grade 1-6) entry grade is KCSE Mean Grade of C (Plain) or its equivalent with a C (Plain) in the following cluster subjects.
i. English and Kiswahili;
ii. Mathematics;
iii. Humanities (Any);
iv. Sciences (Any).
b) For candidates with disabilities the minimum entry grade is C- (Minus) and a C- (Minus) in the cluster of subjects stated above.
c) The duration of the course shall be three (3) years in accordance with the approved Curriculum designs.
d) The Trainees shall be required to cover the recommended hours for coursework, required hours for practicum and pass the assessments as directed by Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC).
e) The Teacher Trainee shall undertake three months micro-teaching course which is a pre-requisite for teaching practice.
CURRENT ENTRY REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DIPLOMA IN EARLY CHILDHOOD TEACHER EDUCATION (DECTE)
a. The academic entry requirements for the Diploma in Early Childhood Teacher Education (DECTE) shall be C Plain Mean Grade in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education Examination (KCSE) or its equivalent (as equated by the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC).
b. Candidates with disabilities shall be admitted with C- (Minus) grade in KCSE or equivalent.
c. The duration for the Diploma in Early Childhood Teacher Education (DECTE) shall be three (3) years.
d. The trainees undertaking the Diploma in Early Childhood Teacher Education (DECTE) shall take ALL courses specified in the DECTE Curriculum.
e. The trainees shall undertake a Micro Teaching course of three (3) months which shall be a pre-requisite for the Teaching Practicum of two school terms.
f. To be awarded the Diploma in Early Childhood Teacher Education (DECTE), the candidate must complete the required hours for coursework and pass the stipulated assessment as directed by the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC).