TSC Tells Teachers TPD Is Not a Punishment
The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has refuted suggestions that the Teachers Professional Development (TPD) is meant to be a punishment to teachers.
The TSC Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr Macharia reassured teachers that the TPD programme is meant to equip teachers with skills to be able to tackle global trends in their profession as well as improve the tutors’ skills.
Teachers are supposed to contribute a sum of Sh. 6,000 on a yearly basis for the TPD after which teachers will then be issued with a professional teaching certificate apart from what they studied at the undergraduate level.
The issued teaching certificate is subject to renewal after every five years. The Commission revealed that it will employ innovative ways such as the use of reflective journals, portfolios and presentations in carrying out the program.
Teachers who will fail to undergo the training will have their licenses revoked.
On Wednesday the TSC CEO told teachers that the purpose of the programme is to improve the standards as well as keep them abreast with emerging trends in the education fraternity.
According to Dr Macharia, the TPD is a life-long learning program that is divided into six structured competency levels with each one taking a period of five years to complete.
“At the end of every module, successful teachers will have their teaching certificates after every five years,” said the TSC CEO.
Besides, the TSC boss informed that teachers who are registered with the Commission should participate in the TPD program by identifying and registering with one of the accredited institutions. This means that teachers are at liberty to choose one of the many accredited institutions depending on their liking after which they shall then commit and undergo the TPD programme.
Among the institutions that have been accredited by the Commission so far include the Kenya Education Management Institute, Riara University, Kenyatta University and Mount Kenya University.
TSC implemented Performance Contracting (PC) and the Teacher Performance Appraisal and Development (TPAD) in 2016 with the intention of improving and strengthening curriculum implementation and accountability in the utilization to improve learning outcomes.
The move received widespread opposition from the teachers’ unions but still managed to continue to be implemented in schools.
According to the TSC CEO, since the implementation of the performance appraisal tools, the quality of education has improved in schools across the country.
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