Teacher training colleges entry requirements revised
The government has made revisions to the entry requirements for prospective students aiming to join teacher training colleges (TTCs) with aspirations to become primary and secondary school teachers.
Previously, students were required to have a C (Plain) grade in mathematics, English, and Kiswahili, along with a C in both a science and humanities subject, in order to qualify for primary school teacher training.
According to the recommendations from the Presidential Working Group on Education Reforms (PWPER) students now need an average grade of C (Plain) in subjects other than mathematics, English, and Kiswahili.
For those aspiring to become secondary school teachers, a C grade and a C+ in two subjects are Minimum requirements.
The Kenya Teachers Colleges Principals Association (KTCPA) has called on the Ministry of Education to issue circulars to TTCs, allowing them to implement these updated entry requirements.
According to Paul Barasa, the KTCPA chairman, these revised entry requirements carry significant national importance.
He emphasized that teachers must have a strong grasp of the subjects they specialize in, making a higher grade in the desired teaching subject a necessity. Initially, a C+ grade in the subject was the baseline requirement, but the recent revision has lowered this to a C (average) grade.
Mr. Barasa also noted that all Teacher Training Colleges (TTCs) have universally embraced the competency-based teacher education program.
Both private and public TTCs have taken up programs such as the Diploma in Primary Teacher Education, the Diploma in Early Childhood Teacher Education, and the Diploma in Secondary Teacher Education.
Education stakeholders believe that the adjusted entry requirements will help TTCs with lower enrollment numbers by attracting more pre-service teachers.
Some TTCs currently enroll fewer than twenty students due to challenges like insufficient budget allocations, inadequate fee payments by parents, and low enrollment rates.
Teacher training colleges entry requirements revised
