Diploma teachers training intake to kick off today
Irene Githinji @gitshee
Ministry of Education has urged Form Four leavers seeking admission to Diploma Teacher Training Colleges (TTCs) to start applying today.
The Ministry is inviting applications from Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) holders to apply for either a Diploma in Primary Teacher Education (DPTE) or Diploma in Early Childhood Development Teacher Education (DECTE).
Education Principal Secretary Dr Julius Jwan said applicants have until April 20 to seek slots at TTCs.
Hard copies are available in the County Directors of Education (CDEs) offices. Duly filled registration forms should be submitted to Sub County Directors of Education Offices from April 6 – 20 by the applicants in person.
Those with special needs are also encouraged to apply,” said Jwan, in a notice.
The duration of both courses will be three years in accordance with the approved curriculum designs.
Candidates have also been urged to register in only one centre, with the Ministry warning that double registration will lead to automatic disqualification.
Applicants for a Diploma in Primary Teacher Education (DPTE) should have a KCSE Mean Grade of C (Plain) or its equivalent with a C (Plain) in English, Kiswahili, Mathematics, and also a C in any of the Humanities subject and Sciences subjects.
New curriculum
However, for candidates with disabilities, the minimum entry grade is C- (Minus) and a C- (Minus) in the cluster of subjects stated above.
Applicants for the Diploma in Early Childhood Teacher Education (DECTE) require a C (Plain) Mean Grade in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education Examination (KCSE) or its equivalent, as equated by the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC).
However, candidates with disabilities will be admitted with a C- (Minus) grade in KCSE or its equivalent.
The Government had suspended training of primary teachers for an year, to not only allow for the phase out of P1 certificate courses in Teacher Training Colleges but also allow time for development of a curriculum to teach the new diploma course.
The move was meant to replace P1 with diploma course, to ensure teachers are trained in accordance with the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) needs.
Education Cabinet Secretary Prof George Magoha has already announced that the first cohort of diploma teachers will be admitted in May.
According to the CBC taskforce, Pre-Service Competency Based Teacher Education (CBTE) will provide the education sector with a valuable opportunity to train teachers on the CBC approach.
For effective implementation of the curriculum, the Taskforce recommended that the Education ministry ensures all tutors in pre-service teacher education training colleges are inducted on effective interpretation and implementation of the teacher education curriculum framework and designs.
The Ministry, Commission for University Education and Universities are also expected to review and align the Teacher Education programmes to CBC and Competency Based Assessment (CBA) and build the capacity of all university teacher educators in line with the aspirations of CBC.
