Hope for more IRE teachers as state lowers grade for teachers training

The number of Muslims in Kenya is over ten million. (Courtesy)

FRIDAY BULLETIN

NAIROBI—The Government has revised the minimum qualification for students seeking to join teachers training colleges, colleges and universities to pursue teaching profession.

The far reaching changes expected to be rolled out officially next year, comes in the wake of dwindling number of students interested to pursue the noble education career around the country.

Education ministry expressed concern drastic reduction in the number of students applying to study education in colleges and universities in the last two years.

Education Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed raised concern over the low number of students applying to join teacher training colleges.

“We have to address this issue, or else we will not get secondary and primary school teachers in future,” she said.

Amina regretted the students’ lack of interest in the profession, yet the government was investing a lot of resources in the sector.

The Kenya National Qualifications Authority (KNQA) published the new rule which lowered the entry requirements for diploma and certificate (P1) courses.

Students with a C plain or C- in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) will now study diploma in education down from the previous C+.

Teachers training colleges offering a certificate in education popularly referred as P1 course will now admit students with a mean grade of D+ from a C plain.

In a statement, the authority’s director-general, Dr Juma Mukhwana stated that the teaching professional is under threat from reforms undertaken in the technical vocational education training (TVET) sector.

He noted that students seeking direct entry to universities will still be required to have attained a mean grade of C+ in KCSE.

“This is in line with the Kenya National Qualifications Framework, which has been widely discussed and adopted by stakeholders,”said Dr Mukhwana.

The government also announced that from next year teachers training colleges will stop offering P1 certificate courses but only diploma to primary school trainee teachers.

Statistics from the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) indicate that there are 295,000 trained teachers who are yet to be absorbed by the government and private sector.

The new rule should be a blessing in disguise for Muslims particularly in Northern Kenya and Coast regions, where most of public primary and secondary schools are grappling with severe shortage of IRE
teachers.

The National Council for Nomadic Education in Kenya first proposed the lowering of qualification for primary and secondary schools teaching course, in the wake of the mass exodus of none local teachers from Wajir, Mandera and Garissa counties.

The agency formed to promote education in Asal areas recommended qualification for teaching training colleges lowered from C+ to C for diploma teacher training colleges and C to D+ for primary teacher training colleges.

It also proposed recruitment of 1,200 curriculum assistants to support current teachers and address deteriorating education standards.

There is shortfall of 4,727 teachers both for primary and secondary schools. Primary schools need 3,311 teachers while secondary schools need 1,416. Meanwhile, Muslim education Council (MEC) praised the government’s move.

The executive director Munawar Khan said the new changes will ensure the sustainability of teacher training in the country and address teachers’ shortage in public primary and secondary schools.

He urged Muslim students to take up the opportunity and pursue teaching profession.

Munawwar said higher grade deterred many from enrolling for the teaching course and urged parents to encourage their children to take advantage of the new changes.

He stated that Muslim leadership and organisations should provide incentive including
scholarships or interest free loans to attract more youth undertake the training.

Munawar commended Jamia Mosque Committee and Kenya Muslims Charitable Society for sponsoring youth to undertake Diploma in education with bias in IRE at Kagumo and Kibabii Teachers Training
Colleges and appealed to other organizations to emulate such initiative.