TSC Signs Deal – All Teachers to Pay Ksh.6,000 Yearly for Professional Training

The Teachers Service Commission TSC has signed and sealed a deal that will see all teachers in Kenya part with Ksh. 6,000 each year for professional development training.

TSC signed the deal with four educational institutions that will undertake the teacher training starting from April 2020. The institutions are; Kenyatta University, Riara University, Mount Kenya University, and the Kenya Education Management Institute KEMI.

A total of 472,000 teachers in the country inclusive of both the government and those in the private schools will undertake the development training.

Teacher Professional Development Training Structure

According to TSC, teachers will undergo training every five years which will constitute a level.

The training will be undertaken six times (6 levels) spanning the entire teaching career of a teacher.

At the start, each teacher will have to cover module one containing seven sections. 

The teacher will be recertified by the commission on the successful completion of the module.

The pieces of training will consist of online sessions and one-on-one sessions with the lecturers.

In a year, there will be two online sessions scheduled during school holidays via the virtual learning management system, and five days of one-on-one sessions at each sub-county.

The total sessions will amount to at least 42.5 hours.

Each teacher will be trained as per their unique competency gaps that will be identified by psychometric tests done through online assessment centres.

Other competency tests that will be used to determine the teacher’s unique competency gaps are the intelligence, emotional, integrity, managerial and leadership tests.

Upon successful completion of the professional development chapter and module, a teacher will receive transcripts and a certificate respectively as proof of the training. 

Ezekiel Tumbo of TSC Quality Assurance & Standards Directorate addresses service providers at a Teacher Professional Development workshop on 12th February 2020. (Photo/Courtesy)

Consequences of Failing to Undertake the Yearly TSC Professional Development Training

According to the teachers Service Commission, the yearly teacher professional development training is compulsory.

Any teacher who will not undertake the above professional development training will automatically be presumed to have gone against the TSC Code of Regulations

What the Ksh. 6,000. Training Fee will Cover

TSC has stipulated that the Ksh. 6,000 professional development fee will cover all the training sessions, evaluation, monitoring, and assessment costs for a teacher.

According to a report by the Daily Nation Media, “The institutions will be wholly responsible for the collection of the fee directly from teachers”.

The signed agreement frees TSC from getting involved matters pertaining to training fee payment or collection.

Two-Year Teacher Training Contract

The contract awarded to the institutions for the teacher professional development training is for two years.

The commission already initiated training for lecturers who will handle the training from April.

Dr Benson Njoroge from Mt. Kenya University makes a presentation on Teacher Professional Development online interaction during the 3rd day of TSC workshop on TPD with service providers. (Photo/Courtesy)

TSC Professional Development to Start in April Despite KNUT Protests

The Kenya National Union of Teachers KNUT, challenged the TSC’s move on the professional development training of teachers citing inadequate consultation. 

KNUT challenged TSC via the court demanding for more consultation. 

However, TSC says the training will start in April 2020.

The four institutions contracted to train teachers will pocket an estimate of over Ksh. 2.3 Billion per year.

The commission has not indicated what will be done to the currently unemployed but registered teachers.

“The professional development training for teachers will address gaps identified in appraisals, facilitate career progression and ensure professional compliance,” said the TSC CEO Dr. Nancy Macharia.

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