By Roy Hezron
After low number of applicants qualified for the new Diploma programme in Teacher Education in six different Teacher Training Colleges, the government is now targeting the 2020 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) candidates.
In the advert placed in local dailies, the Ministry of Education through the State Department of Early Learning and Basic Education, the Sub-County Directors of Education have started receiving applications from June 16, 2021 with 2020 KCSE candidates who sat their examination in March 2021 being encouraged to apply.
“All applicants who wish to be considered for admission in Diploma Teacher Training Colleges are invited to apply,those who sat for KCSE in March, 2021 and those with special needs are encouraged to apply,” stated PS Dr. Julius Jwan.
The applicants have until June 30, 2021 to make their applications, while candidates have been advised to only register in one centre with double registration leading to automatic disqualification.
In one of the recent stakeholders’ meeting held in Machakos TTC most recently, they resolved that the 1400 applicants who had initially qualified for the programme be placed in six TTCs as from June 2, 2021 while the remaining TTCs wait for the upgrades.
However, in the advert and communiqué sent to various Sub-County Education Offices, it was not clear on the upgrade programme, since the entry requirements specifically targeted the direct entry.
The 1400 qualified applicants were distributed to Machakos TTC in Machakos, Thogoto TTC in Kiambu, Shanzu TTC in Mombasa, Egoji TTC in Meru, Baringo TTC in Baringo, and Migori TTC in Migori.
This means that the current ongoing applicants are being targeted to be placed in various TTCs in September 2021, as it is not clear when the upgrade programme will be advertised.
The government targeted to place about 7, 000 students in about 30 Public TTCs across the country.
The entry requirements remain unchanged that is KCSE Mean Grade of C (plain) with the same grade in English, Kiswahili, Mathematics, any Humanity and Sciences for those prospecting to pursue Primary Teacher Education.
Candidates with disabilities are required to have obtained C-(minus) in KCSE with the same grade in the above cluster combination.
Those prospecting to study Diploma in ECDE, the entry requirement are pegged at only C (plain) in KCSE and C-(minus) for candidates with disabilities.
