The Teachers’ Service Commission (TSC) in Kenya has provided information on the recent adjustments to the entrance requirements for individuals who aspire to pursue teaching as a career , which many people regard to as a calling from God.
Several observations have been made in the past, primarily on some of the letters sent by teachers to the commission that are reported to have several spelling faults and typos, according to the commission.
Dr.Ruben Nathamburi, the Commission’s Director of Quality Assurance and Standards (QAS), said that, like other professions such as engineering, medicine, and law, the commission seeks to assure proper professionalism in the teaching professions.
Dr. Nathamburi went on to say that the same information has been passed on to various universities about the type of teacher TSC is looking for in the teaching profession in order to meet the Kenyan child’s needs.
He went on to say that the main challenge he faces as QAS is that some teachers are unable to communicate effectively, and as a result, the Kenya University and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) has lowered grades for those entering the teaching profession, i.e. Bachelor’s degree in Education in both Arts and Sciences, to C (plain) in both English and Mathematics, as of the most recent placement of students to universities and colleges.
Speaking at a CBC sensitization address meeting in Naivasha a few months ago, Dr. Nathamburi, who attended on behalf of TSC (CEO) Dr. Nancy Macharia, Dr. Ellis, who represented the Senate Committee on Education, and other education stakeholders in their meeting, still emphasized that in order to professionalize the teaching profession and integrate it with other professions, the teaching profession must be professionalized and integrated with other professions.
Under the new proposed policy framework, a B- (minus) mark in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education Mean (KCSE) and an average grade of C+ in the three teaching disciplines will be required for admittance into the Bachelor of Arts BA or Bachelor of Science BSc programs.
The new revisions, however, depart from the university’s current policy of allowing students in Bachelor of Education programs in two disciplines of specialization with a minimum KCSE mean grade of C+ (Plus) or its equivalent to enroll in two disciplines of specialization.
The University Education Commission (CUE) should speed up the new development and assess university programs to comply with the planned three pathways to senior high school, according to a CBC Education Task Force funding application.
