Teachers’ colleges applicants have until May 3 to send requests

Kenyans wishing to become primary school teachers have about a month to submit their applications.

The candidates must have attained a mean grade of C in KCSE examinations.

“Visually, and hearing impaired and totally deaf and totally blind applicants should have attained a mean grade of C-,” said a statement signed by Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang.

The applicants should submit filled registration forms to zonal education offices from April 10 in person and have until May 3 to do so.

“Those with special needs are also encouraged to register,” added Dr Kipsang.

He said admission letters for the successful candidates, for both first and second admissions, will be dispatched to the zonal education offices.

“The registration exercise is free of charge and they can download registration forms from the ministry’s website www.education.go.ke,” said the PS.
The government colleges have a capacity of 11,901 students for pre-service training.

ENTRY GRADE RAISED

In the ongoing curriculum reforms, Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development has proposed that the entry grade for teachers’ training colleges be raised.

KICD has proposed that the entry grade for early childhood development education teachers be C plain, up from D.

Those wishing to become primary school teachers should have a C+ instead of the current C, diploma teachers should have B-, up from C+, while those seeking degrees in education must have a B+ in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education examinations.

“At all levels, there should be practicum at the end of the first year and second year supervised by lecturers and teachers and principals in schools,” says the report.

KICD also proposed an improvement in communication skills among teachers, noting that many cannot do so competently, contributing to poor performance by learners.
Last year nearly half of the trainee teachers who sat Knec exams failed.

More than 20,000 trainee’s graduate annually but only a few that are recruited by the government.

UNDERSTOOD CURRICULUM

A 2013 report by the World Bank dubbed “Service Delivery Indicators” indicated that only 35 per cent of teachers in public schools understood the curriculum they were teaching.

Last the teacher’s service commission abolished the P1 grade which was the entry level in a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) that was signed with teachers union leaders.
Under the arrangement, the lowest paid primary school teacher will take home Sh27, 195, up from Sh21, 756 starting July.

More than 20,000 primary school teacher trainee’s graduate annually but it is only a few that are recruited by the government.

The government has since announced the recruitment of 5,000 starting July at a cost of Sh 2billion against a shortage of 87,000 teachers.

Already Kenya National Union of Teachers has directed its officials in 110 branches to provide information of teachers who graduated but are yet to be employed.

Last year, a total of 44,792 candidates scored C in form four exams.