The Teachers Service Commission has explained the fate of P1 teachers (certificate holders) following a proposal to scrap the certificates in the TSC Amendment Bill.
TSC proposed to scrap the certificates and have the lowest cadre of teachers be a Diploma holder.
Initially, one qualified to go for a P1 teaching certificate after scoring a D plain but the commission now wants to raise the entry grade into the profession to a C plain.
TSC said the P1 teachers still have a chance to be in classrooms so long as they undergo retooling.
The P1 teachers have to pursue a diploma to be in the classroom.
Senators were concerned that some teachers might not pursue the required diploma course due to the high tuition fees charged by colleges, practicum requirements and the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) assessment fees.
“The programme is being coordinated by the Ministry of Education hence, the Ministry regulates the tuition and assessment fees,” TSC said.
TSC said retooling of the P1 teachers became necessary after introducing the new curriculum.
“With the introduction of the Competence Based Curriculum (CBC), it became necessary for P1 teachers to be trained on the new pedagogical skills to enable them to effectively implement the new curriculum and disseminate knowledge to learners,” TSC said.
TSC said the commission put in place an elaborate and comprehensive programme for P1 teachers employed by the Commission to be retooled on the new pedagogical skills to enable them to effectively disseminate knowledge to learners.
Additionally, TSC said that P1 teachers who graduated before 2019 and are not employed by the Commission began undertaking a 9-month upgrading programme in 2019 to enhance their P1 Certificates to a Diploma Level.
TSC said the Commission, in a bid to ensure inclusivity and non-discrimination, continues to employ teachers with P1 certificates who have not pursued the upgrade to a diploma qualification.
After employing the P1 teachers, TSC said they are taken through a comprehensive retooling programme to enable them to effectively implement CBC.
On whether TSC will give teachers who currently hold P1 certificates priority during recruitment once they upgrade to the Diploma level, the commission said TSC is an equal opportunity employer that abides by the tenets of the law.
“The Commission has developed Recruitment Guidelines that govern the recruitment process to ensure that the process is carried out in a lawful manner and within the tenets of rights and freedoms encapsulated under the Constitution. The guidelines outline the skills and competencies necessary for one to be recruited,” he said.
TSC said pursuant to the recruitment guidelines, the Commission has further developed a Recruitment Score Card.
The Recruitment Score Card is developed in an inclusive manner to consider items such as professional qualifications, age, length of stay since qualification as a teacher and CBC upgrade.
“Accordingly, teachers who have completed the diploma upgrade program are given more marks as shown in the sample scorecard attached,” he said.
