Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) and the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) will introduce a program to raise awareness of teacher professional development (TPD).
After several meetings with TSC in Naivasha, Knut Secretary General Collins Oyuu disclosed this.
As per to Oyuu, Knut and TSC have decided to start a program to encourage teachers to participate in the TPD training program.
The TPD, which was implemented in 2013, was a laudable initiative, as per to the teachers’ union, which currently claims over 115,000 members, but TSC did not spend money on raising teachers’ awareness of its importance, value, and benefits.
According to Oyuu, Knut and the TSC concurred that the commission hold awareness-raising workshops for all teachers to help them comprehend the TPD and its implementation.
KNUT sec general claimed during refresher training sessions that improper sensitization was the cause of the resistance that was observed after the TPD program was implemented.
Each of the modules, which must be completed every five years, has cost teachers Sh6,000.
As some of the teachers completed the course online, others physically attended the sessions.
This training is being provided by Kenyatta University, Mount Kenya University, Riara, and Kenya Education Management Institute under a one-year contract with a possibility for an extension.
The program consists of six modules. Training is carried out over the holidays. Teachers will receive a number of points at the conclusion of every module.
Because the modules have been anchored in the professional progression criteria, instructors will be qualified for re-certification and advancement once they have completed all of the modules.
Despite funding being provided for the TPD modules in Parliament, training teachers were requested to pay for them in July.
TSC had received Sh1.16 billion from the National Treasury for the express purpose of providing teacher training.
The commission included Sh289.37 billion as gross current and capital estimates in the 2022–2023 budget, along with Sh7.23 billion for general administration, planning, and support services.
The Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) successfully lobbied the education and budget committees to approve the allocation.
Ronald Tonui, the MP for Bomet Central, remarked, “I applaud Parliament for being a friend of the teachers despite opposition from the government who has asked each instructor gather for the program.”
He belongs to the committee on education. Teachers will now receive the training for free, according to Tonui.
He stated that teachers have expressed concerns about their ability to secure funding for the courses.
The MP advised TSC to contact the National Treasury again to arrange for the money to be released.
The commission’s policy was implemented to replace the career development standards.
Implementation of teacher professional development took place in the latter part of last year despite initial strong opposition from teachers’ unions.
At accordance with the law, the training was provided to all employed instructors in public schools over the break.
According to a policy paper TSC produced in 2018, instructors would receive training over a period of around five days throughout the summer.
A teacher must obtain a certificate when the program first starts, and it must be renewed every five years.
Rules explain the new grading systems and their associated pay ranges, as well as the minimal prerequisites for instructors to be hired and promoted.
The commission launched a professional development course over objections from the Kenya National Union of Teachers for four years (Knut).
