Secondary school teachers to handle 3 mandatory subjects, have ICT skills

Secondary school teachers will now be expected to teach three (3) subjects; up from the current two. This is according to the latest recommendations by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC).

“Teachers at this level (secondary school) will teach three subjects at Junior and Senior secondary,” reads the TSC framework document on entry requirements in the teaching service.

Currently, all secondary school teachers handle two subjects apart from those handling English.

Additionally, all teachers must now have Information and Communication Technology (ICT) skills.

In another move that will lock out many KCSE students hoping to undertake teaching courses, the Commission has reviewed the minimum teaching subjects’ grades. Whereas TSC wants the minimum entry mean grade at KCSE retained at C+ (plus), a teacher must have a B-(Minus) in three teaching subjects.

Currently, the minimum teaching subject requirement is a C+ (plus).

The study period at university would also be reduced to three years; down from the current four years. The Commission wants teachers to undertake a Bachelor of Arts or Science Degree for 3 years and Post Graduate Diploma in Education, PGDE, for one year on Teacher Education.

Further, students who have undertaken courses(Diploma or degrees) without the minimum entry requirements (who enrolled, who trained and graduated in them) do not qualify for registration and employment by the TSC.

TSC proposes that the above minimum requirements be used as a basis for admission into Teacher Education at the various levels from September 2021.

In addition to the requirements above, the following shall be required before a teacher is registered by the Commission: –

Certificate of Good Conduct; applicants shall be required to present a valid certificate of good conduct upon application for registration.
Certificate in Integration of ICT in education; Evidence of training in ICT skills
Compliance to chapter six of the Constitution:Tax Compliance Certificate (KRA), Certificate of good conduct (DCI), Higher Education Loan clearance certificate (HELB), EACC clearance and Credit Reference Certificate (CRB)
ECDE applicants with certificates from other bodies other than KNEC and MOE should have their certificates equated by KNEC.
Applicants with foreign Degrees and Diplomas in education should have their documents equated by the Commission for University Education (CUE) and Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) respectively.

LIST OF BANNED COURSES BY TSC

Applicants for registration whose training is in subjects that are currently NOT in the curriculum do not qualify irrespective of having undertaken a Post Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) and/ or Enhancement.

This category includes but not limited to Bachelor of Science/Bachelor of Arts in:

Natural resources
Meteorology
Forestry
Animal husbandry
Horticulture
Farm machinery
Fisheries
Anthropology
Sociology
Theology/Divinity
Journalism
Kiswahili and Communication
Business Management / Administration
Banking and Finance

This category includes but not limited to Bachelor of Science/Bachelor of Arts in:

Genomics
Actuarial Science
Environmental Science
Criminology
Biotechnology and Agriculture
All Courses related to Engineering
Industrial Chemistry
Biochemistry
Hospitality and tourism
Foods , Nutrition and Dietetics
Technology and applied Biology
Microbiology etc.

Those who have undertaken a PGDE with these courses are NOT eligible for registration as teachers.

These courses do not provide sufficient subject content and therefore the mastery of the content in two teaching subjects is not adequate as required.