TSC’s April retooling of Science teachers commended for discipline and dedication

April’s retooling for the over 19,000 science-based teacher interns conducted by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) was characterized by distinctive features anticipated of any Junior Secondary School (JSS) cohort.

The initiative, which concluded last Friday, prompted numerous Master Trainers and Trainers of Trainees to communicate and share observations about the attributes of the April group across their respective regions.

In discussions with Education News during the concluding survey of the retooling, many trainers commended the April group for their remarkable display of discipline, expressing a desire for the exercise to extend beyond the allotted timeframe.

In contrast to their arts-based counterparts, who were retooled throughout 2024, the science-based interns demonstrated punctuality, arriving at the training venues as early as 7:30 am.

“They compelled us to arrive at the venues quite early, in contrast to their arts colleagues, who often kept us waiting for extended periods. This was a distinct group,” concurred one of the trainers from Nairobi.

In addition to adhering to and maintaining punctuality, the teachers exhibited a heightened eagerness towards the training.

The majority of them engaged in note-taking and readily posed questions, seeking clarifications on aspects that appeared unclear.

The teachers, who constituted a significant portion of the first cohort to undergo retooling on a Competency-Based Curriculum, surprised the trainers by relating practical experiences pertinent to the training outcomes with pronounced self-efficacy.

Their practical approach reportedly facilitated the trainers’ work, allowing them to complete the training content intended for five days within four days, as one day was lost to the Easter holidays.

Unlike the typically boisterous teachers characterized by inquiries concerning reimbursement, meal provisions, certification, airtime availability, and the duration of the training, the April training centers were noted for their tranquility and interactivity.

The training included Special Needs Education (SNE) teachers who convened at the county level. The survey indicated that pre-vocational teachers were not included in the recently concluded exercise.

Intern teachers from age-based special schools, including those for hearing, visual, and physically impaired individuals, were the focus of April’s retooling. It was further observed that TSC had not enlisted teachers for the prevocational level in the special schools. Teachers managing intermediate levels are assigned to the prevocational classes, a circumstance that raises numerous concerns.

Retooling for 19,000 Newly-Recruited Teachers Commences Nationwide

The retooling for over 19,000 teacher interns, who were recruited towards the end of the previous year, commenced in various counties throughout the nation on April 22, accompanied by requests for an increase in reimbursement rates from the Teachers Service Commission (TSC).

Numerous educators who spoke to Education News lamented the inadequate rates that do not fully align with the soaring costs of living.

“The training venues are significantly distant this time around. We are compelled to seek accommodations to conserve time,” articulated Dennis, a teacher intern hailing from Busia County.

It was noted that, in contrast to last year’s retooling, most venues were altered following a reduction in certain school management’s willingness to host the exercise, citing extended delays in reimbursement for services rendered by the commission.

A survey conducted on the first day of the retooling revealed that numerous centers in the Western region commenced the exercise earlier than anticipated. By 9 a. m. , the trainees had already filled most centers.
In Navakholo, the exercise began promptly, with the TSC County Director emphasizing the importance of full attendance by the teachers.

In the Eastern region, the exercise proceeded seamlessly, with the Trainer of Trainers (TOTs) highlighting that the training was comparatively slow due to the trainees’ unfamiliarity with competency-based curricula.

In the Kangundo Sub-county, the distribution of male and female trainees was equal. In the central region, a majority of training centers were visited by financial institutions, which, according to the trainees, consumed a significant amount of time intended for the training activities.

Furthermore, the trainees expressed concerns at some venues regarding the trainers’ engagement in protracted discussions that strayed from the trainers’ content.

Certain centers in the Rift Valley region commenced the exercise later than scheduled, such as the Kilgoris Sub-county, which began at 10:36 a. m. A malfunctioning projector consistently interrupted the exercise in the Ainabkoi Sub-county.

It is noteworthy that April’s retooling program commenced positively in most centers nationwide. Special Needs Education (SNE) training was conducted at the county level.

This time, the number of trainees was significantly reduced. It was discovered that only age-specific trainees from SNE schools, including those focused on hearing, visual, and physical disabilities, were invited.