Kimani wa Njuguna: New training will help retool the teachers
Teacher training colleges (TTCs) that used to offer Certificate in Primary Teacher Education (PTE) course, better known as P1, risk being driven out of business if they do not comply with the new rules introduced by the Ministry of Education.
That follows the phasing out of the P1 course and subsequent transition to Diploma in Primary Teacher Education (DPTE) as the minimum qualification for one to teach in primary school.
For that, Sh1.8 billion has been spent so far on training teachers for the new Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC). A task force on CBC implementation recommended that universities also re-evaluate their teacher education programmes to align them to the new curriculum.
Lecturers will, thus, be expected to be retooled to fit into the CBC approach. Indeed, the ministry has directed that all public TTCs be authorised to offer DPTE — a move that might lock out some private colleges deemed unfit for that.
In addition, colleges are expected to offer the training at their premises. This is unlike before, when they used to organise for trainees to attend lessons in schools during the holidays. Besides, the training of teachers for DPTE and Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) will be conducted in registered public colleges
The last P1 cohort sat their examinations last November and the first DPTE admission will take place in May. Unlike PTE (P1), where trainee teachers studied all the subjects taught in schools, in the diploma course, they will specialise in their areas of interest and qualifications.
This is expected to be critical, especially in preparing learners to identify their strength and selection of the pathways to pursue in senior secondary school. The three CBC pathways are arts and sports science; social sciences; and science, technical engineering and mathematics (Stem).
This is what we have yearned for, to enable our youth to have a bright future.
