All teachers to undergo mandatory licensing under new TSC rules
All teachers to undergo mandatory licensing under new TSC rules
The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has announced a new licensing system that will require all teachers in Kenya to undertake continuous professional development and renew their teaching licences every five years.
Acting TSC Chief Executive Officer Evaleen Mitei said the new framework will be anchored on the Teacher Professional Development (TPD) programme, which teachers must complete before their licences can be renewed.
Speaking during the 49th Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association (KESSHA) Annual Conference in Mombasa on Thursday, 25 June, Mitei said the reforms are intended to improve teacher competence and support the implementation of the Competency-Based Education (CBE) curriculum.
“We are saying, just like all other professions, the teaching service must be licensed. That five-year TPD will lead to the renewal of your teaching licence,” Mitei said.
The Acting CEO announced that the new TPD programme will mainly be delivered online, with only a limited number of face-to-face sessions, making it more accessible to teachers across the country.
She further disclosed that teachers will not be required to pay for the training programme.
“I think the thing that teachers want to hear is that it is free. We will not charge any money for the Teacher Professional Development programme that is coming,” she said.
According to Mitei, the licensing framework is also expected to benefit Kenyan teachers seeking employment opportunities abroad by providing internationally recognised professional credentials.
“We have equally developed a teacher mobility policy for teachers who want to go and teach abroad, but they face challenges because we do not license our teachers,” Mitei added.
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To support the rollout of the programme, TSC is developing a Learning Management System through which teachers will access training modules and monitor their progress.
School heads were urged to ensure their teachers participate in the programme once it is launched, noting that it will play a critical role in improving learner outcomes.
The reforms form part of broader changes being implemented by the Commission to align the teaching profession with the requirements of the Competency-Based Education system.
In addition, TSC has reviewed Legal Notice Number 50, which governs teacher registration requirements, to ensure compliance with the demands of the new curriculum.
The Commission has also raised the minimum qualification for entry into primary school teaching from the P1 certificate to diploma level and introduced specialised pathways for Special Needs Education learners.
Mitei said TSC has further adjusted teacher registration requirements to allow the registration of teachers with one teaching subject in selected curriculum areas where staffing shortages exist.
She added that the Commission has developed new staffing framework aimed at ensuring the equitable distribution of teachers across schools and reducing teacher shortages, particularly in marginalised and hard-to-staff areas.
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