All teachers who will register for Teacher Professional Development (TPD), which starts this December, will be issued with a teaching certificate (license).
All teachers who are applying for a certificate of registration will also be issued with a both a certificate of registration and a teaching certificate.
Already some TPD service providers have announced the start date of the programme which will be on 27th December 2021.
However for renewal of those certificates which expires after a period of five years will require a teacher to have completed a TPD Module and must have at least 80 TPD points.
The Commission says, TPD points, transcript and a certificate will be issued after successful completion of every module.
Teachers will earn TPD points at the end of each year. Teachers will earn 60 TPD points based on the prescribed modules.
Teachers will also earn 40 TPD points based on professional learning captured under TPAD e.g INSETS by CEMASTEA and others.
The Commission says the accumulated TPD points will be used to Renew Teaching Certificate of successful participants every 5 years.
TSC says the four accredited Service Providers contracted to offer TPD will deliver through;
1. Face to Face
In workshops at Sub County level. The workshop will take 5 days during one school holiday in a year.
2. Online webinar:
During the other two school holidays in a year, professional learning will be through an online platform (synchronous and asynchronous) for 5 days.
Currently only four institutions have been accredited to offer TPD training. These are Mount Kenya University, Kenyatta University, Riara University and Kenya Education Management Institute (KEMI)
TPD service providers must be recognized and registered with the Commission to offer services which must address the 7 KePTS
The Commission will accredited various categories of TPD service providers as follows:
Category 1: Government institutions mandated to capacity teachers e.g CEMASTEA, KICD KISE, KNEC: Their TPD learning outcomes must be aligned to at least one of the seven KePTS
Category 2: Non State actors who are in partnership with the Commission e.g Edu Trust, UNICEF. Their TPD learning outcomes must be aligned to at least one of the seven KePTS.
Category 3: Organizations selected through competitive tendering system. Will use the Commission’s prescribed modules with all the seven standards
Category 3 TPD Service providers will charge a fee for the services they will offer. Currently, teachers will be charged KSH 6000 per year payable directly to the TPD service provider.
More category 3 service providers will be selected competitively through a procurement process in 2023.
The Commission shall undertake continuous monitoring and evaluation of TPD programme to quality assure, offer professional support and give feedback on the training programmes.
There shall be seven modules, each having 5 chapters addressing all the 7 KePTS standards.
Kenya Professional Teaching Standards(KePTS) are a set of competency statements that describe what a Kenyan teacher should Know and able to do to enable all learners acquire the expected different learning outcomes in the curriculum.
The seven KePTS standards are;
• Standard 1: Teacher Promotes Professionalism throughout their Career
• Standard 2: Teacher has Pedagogical Content Knowledge and understanding of competency based curriculum and how to implement it.
Standard 3: Teacher has knowledge on assessment and reporting
• Standard 4: Teacher Knows how to Create and Support Inclusive Education Practices
• Standard 5:Teacher knows and promotes comprehensive school health and safety
• Standard 6: Teacher has knowledge of financial literacy skills
• Standard 7: Teacher knows and practices instructional leadership.
Teachers will first enroll for Introductory Module which will last for 1 year i.e December 2021 to December 2022.
The Introductory Module which starts this December, will be done through online webinar.
TPD activities will be evaluated based on authentic assessment which will include :
• Reflective journal
• Participant led final synthesis
. Individual Professional Portfolio development and Presentation
The Commission says the institutionalization of the practice and involvement of teachers in TPD is a regulatory role of TSC. The powers are derived from:
1. Constitution of Kenya
Article 237 (2) (a) (e), 237 (3) a, b and c
2. TSC Act 2012
Section 35 (1), 35(2) (a) and (b) of the Act
3. Code of Regulation for Teachers
Regulations 41(3) a & b.
is it for both private and public teachers?