Education degrees to take longer over CBC requirements
Students joining universities to pursue the popular and noble Bachelor’s degree in Education will be required to study for longer period under the competency based curriculum (CBC).
From now on the students Eyeing to pursue career in education will be required to study for five and a half years.
Currently, Bachelor of Education degrees take four years including a one term teaching practice.
According to the Teachers Service Commission this new changes in the teaching career is meant to meet junior and senior secondary needs.
Students teachers will be required to undertake a two full-term practicum of six months after completing the course.
Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) chief executive Agnes Wahome has written to vice-chancellors in both public and private universities directing them to adjust and review their programmes to align them with new proposals from the Teachers Service Commission (TSC).
“On February 24, the placement service received proposals on the reviewed placement criteria to degree programmes from the TSC,” said Dr Wahome in the circular dated April 26.
She noted TSC proposals take cognisance of the introduction of a number of education courses and recommendations of the CBC Taskforce.
According to the Commission each student pursing education should have three teaching subjects, (two major subjects and one minor) for cost effectiveness and proper utilisation of the teacher.
The minimum entry grade for the education degree courses as per the commission’s proposal in Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) remains at a mean grade of C+ with a minimum of B- in the three teaching subjects.
The students will also be required to have a minimum of C (plain) in mathematics, physics and chemistry, which are the foundational subjects.
“The areas identified in these courses are related to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) pathway, careers and technology strand,” reads the proposal.
The commission says the subjects will prepare teachers to teach the subjects from Grade Seven in junior secondary to Grade 12 in senior secondary.
Those to pursue Bachelor of Education (science) and Agriculture education are required to have at least a B- in the two teaching subjects and to have attained C (plain) in English and mathematics.
Bachelor of Science (education) will require students to have at least a B (plain) in two teaching subjects and a C (plain) in English and mathematics.
Students pursuing Bachelor of Education (arts, fine arts, german, guidance and counselling, french, home science and technology, home economics, physical education) and Bachelor of Education (early childhood) are required to have a minimum of B- in two teaching subjects and a C (plain) in English, Kiswahili and mathematics.
For Bachelor of Education in special needs, and interested candidates will be required to have a C+ in two teaching subjects and a C (plain) in mathematics, English and Kiswahili.
Students will also be required to pursue additional professional courses in curriculum development, psychology and sociology in education, mentorship and coaching programmes, performance management, education action research management, foundations in education and educational leadership while in university within the five and half years.
Diploma in Education students will be required to have a minimum of C+ and a C+ in two teaching subjects, a C (Plain) in English and mathematics for science based courses and a C- in mathematics for art based courses.
The diploma programme at the universities will prepare the students to teach in pre-primary (PP1 and PP2) according to TSC.
A diploma in education in special needs at the university level requires a mean grade of C (plain) and C (plain) in two teaching subjects.
