New policy won’t affect ongoing ECDE teacher trainees, says ministry
The current cohort of first year Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) trainee teachers in training colleges will continue with their studies and sit exams in April next year.
Education PS Belio Kipsang said the decision was informed by the fact that the trainees were already enrolled by the time a policy shift on admission was made.
Kipsang (above) said all other admissions for teacher training for pre-primary and primary level will be done under the new Teacher Education Competency-Based Curriculum.
Intake halted
“This is to request you to allow the current cohort in first year who were admitted in April and August to continue with the ECDE training and sit for the exam in April, 2021,” said Kipsang, in a letter to Kenya National Examinations Council.
Last year, the government halted intake for pre-primary and P1 teacher training to allow colleges to embark on preparations for the implementation of Diploma in Primary Education course, which is due in September.
Belio, however, said by the time the teachers colleges received information on policy shift in August last year, some had already admitted trainees for ECDE course.
The Ministry of Education has been selecting trainees for primary teacher training colleges for ECDE and P1 courses every year, which has been taking place in April, in-service in August and those undertaking P1 courses have been reporting in September.
Already, the ministry has embarked on implementation of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) at pre-primary and early grade levels, which has an implication on the pre-service teacher training.
This is because the colleges will be expected to teach the new curriculum in pre-primary and primary schools.
The Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development is finalising the developing of the teacher education curriculum framework.
