The Government will phase out P1 certificate courses in Teacher Training Colleges by next year and replace it with diploma in an effort to be responsive to the new education curriculum demands.
Principal Secretary for Early and Basic Education Belio Kipsang’ said this will ensure that teaching colleges produce competent, skilled teachers.
“In line with vision 2030, the government has made a commitment to modernize Teachers Training Institutes (TTI) in readiness for Diploma in Primary Education course,” he said.
Speaking during Tambach TTC 25th graduation ceremony, Kipsang promised that the Ministry of Education will do all it can to strengthen the teachers’ training programmes.
“Primary Teachers Education must be reformed to be in tandem with the new curriculum reforms and this cannot be achieved without training quality teachers,” he said.
Once implemented, it would take three years for the students to undertake the diploma course unlike the two year certificate course.
Extending the duration is meant to offer the learners enough time to train on content and adequate time for practicals.
There are 27 public teacher training colleges in the country out of which Kagumo, Lugari and Kibabii offer diploma training.
Students here specialise in two subjects and end up being deployed in secondary schools.
With the new policy shift, teacher trainees will also be required to train two subjects of their choice.
This is a departure from the current establishment where teacher trainees are taught in all the subjects offered.
In a speech read by Rift Valley Deputy Regional Coordinator of Education, Lawrence Kaburu, Kipsang said plans to replace the P1 courses are underway.
Despite the quarterly grants TTCs receive to support their recurrent expenditure, a number of challenges still face the sector, notably infrastructure, which is poor.
“Ministry of Education CS is engaging with the National Treasury so that funds for the improvement of the colleges’ facilities can be provided,” he added.
A number of Principals have raised concern that TTCs are given the least priority in the country unlike other sectors, such as Technical Training Institutions.
Besides poor infrastructure, a number of students come from humble backgrounds where fees payment is a big challenge.