Education Cabinet Secretary (CS) George Magoha has defended the move to scrap the Bachelor of Education degree as proposed by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC).
TSC wants Kenyan universities to scrap the B.Ed course by September as part of reforms intended to usher in the competency-based curriculum (CBC).
Students who wish to pursue a career in teaching will instead take regular arts or sciences degrees and a one-year post-graduate education diploma to qualify for registration as teachers.
CS Magoha said Saturday that the move will enable seamless implementation of the CBC. Speaking in Gem, Siaya County, he expressed confidence that it will also ensure quality in the delivery of services and transformation of the education sector.
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“Change is the only thing that is constant the world over. This is the right time for scholars to think and decide whether it is the time to do things differently,” he said after commissioning three classrooms at Sagam Mixed Secondary School.
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The CS also noted that the first group of diploma teachers to be trained from next month will help in the delivery of the CBC which, among others, promotes self-reliance among learners.
Under the new teacher training regime, he said, the diploma will be the minimum requirement for all primary school teachers in the country as the government rolls out plans for quality teaching and learning.
“This will mark an end to training in certificate courses as Teachers Training Colleges will admit applicants who scored Grade C and above in KCSE,” he said.
The colleges will offer a diploma in Primary Teacher Education (DPTE) or a diploma in Early Childhood Development Teacher Education (DECTE).
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Meanwhile, the CS said, the National Treasury has already disbursed funds for free secondary and primary education.
Prof Magoha noted that Sh2.8 billion for free primary education and a further Sh6.5 billion for free secondary education has been disbursed to various accounts across the country.
“This is enough to facilitate their activities as they wait for the other half which will come soon,” he said.
The minister further cautioned school heads against sending children home for fees and urged them to engage their parents instead.
“There are children whose parents may not be in a position to clear arrears. Principals must be considerate,” he said.