The government has been urged to formally adopt and support Continuing Professional Development (CPD) training for teachers as a national strategy to improve the quality of education and address growing challenges in curriculum delivery.
The appeal was made by Mombasa County Executive Committee (CEC) member for Education and Vocational Training Dr. Mbwarali Kame on July 13, 2025, during a graduation ceremony of kindergarten kids at Bright International Academy in Nyali, Mombasa.
CPD training involves structured and ongoing professional learning that enables teachers to update their skills, deepen subject knowledge and adopt modern classroom practices.
Education stakeholders emphasized that CPD is essential for effective implementation of the Competency-Based Curriculum and for improving learner outcomes nationwide.
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In 2021, the Teachers Service Commission introduced the Teacher Professional Development (TPD) program anchored on the Kenya Professional Teaching Standards (KePTS). Under the TPD framework, teachers are expected to undertake continuous training over their career lifespan. The training is currently offered by selected universities, including Kenyatta University and Mount Kenya University, and covers areas such as pedagogy, assessment, instructional leadership and inclusive education.
Despite the existence of the framework, many teachers have struggled to access the program due to high costs and lack of state subsidies.
Stakeholders have urged the government to take full responsibility for funding CPD programs and to institutionalize them within the Ministry of Education’s budgetary and policy frameworks.
They noted that a fully funded national approach would enhance quality control, equity, and consistency in teacher development.
Participants also pointed out that private schools could help ease overcrowding in public schools if supported through national training standards.
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Many private institutions already run in-house training sessions, but these vary in quality and are not always aligned with national benchmarks. A unified approach through CPD would ensure all teachers, regardless of school type, are equally prepared to meet curriculum expectations.
As of July 2025, challenges facing the education sector include high student-to-teacher ratios, uneven learning outcomes and slow adaptation to curriculum reforms. The CBC, now in its final phase of rollout, demands greater teacher involvement in lesson planning, continuous assessment and individualized instruction.
Stakeholders argue that without CPD, teachers may not meet these evolving responsibilities effectively.
The call for government-backed CPD also includes proposals to schedule training during school holidays and to use public teacher training colleges as delivery centers. Stakeholders further recommended that CPD modules be reviewed periodically to remain relevant to classroom realities and that feedback mechanisms be built into the system to evaluate the impact of training on learner performance.
The push to mainstream CPD reflects a broader effort to professionalize teaching, promote accountability and raise the overall standard of education across Kenya. With proper planning and investment, stakeholders believe CPD can close performance gaps between urban and rural schools, improve teacher morale, and support national development goals tied to education.
By Benedict Aoya
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