By Roy Hezron.
Those wishing to enroll for the new Diploma in Teacher Education have until March 7, 2021 to send their applications to their respective Sub-County Directors of Educations.
According to the Advert placed in local dailies today (February 25, 2021), the Ministry of Education through the State Department of early Learning and Basic Education has launched a countrywide recruitment for Pre-service Teacher Training intakes for admission to Diploma in Primary Teacher Education (DPTE) and early Childhood Teacher Education (DECTE), which kicked off February 23, 2021.
The new entry grade has been raised from C- (minus) to C (plain) for both the courses for KCSE certificate holders, with C (plain) in English or Kiswahili, Mathematics, and any Humanity and a Science.
This is a shift from the previous norm whereby only those who had a mean grade of C- (minus) were taken directly with no specification being attached to any subject.
However, the candidates with disabilities and who have a KCSE mean grade of C- (minus) will be given priority in the recruitment process that has kicked off countrywide.
In the new curriculum, the teachers’ trainees will be in college for 3 years unlike before where they used to study for only 2 years, and a three month micro-teaching course commonly known to many as teaching practice, which will also apply to those taking DECTE.
In the new development, the formerly Certificate in Primary Teacher Education (PTE) commonly known as P1 Certificate has been renamed Diploma in Primary Teacher Education (DPTE), which is basically meant to train teachers trainees who will directly go and teach the new Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) after graduation.
The government scraped the P1 intake last year to pave way for the new intake, who are expected to commence the new programme in May this year in various Teacher Training Colleges.
Previously the government conducted an assessment to ascertain the readiness of both Public and Private Teacher Training Colleges in offering the new Diploma in both Primary Teacher Education and Early Childhood Teacher Education.
