- KNUT leaders in Kericho and Elgeyo Marakwet say requiring teachers to renew practising licences every five years is unnecessary and burdensome.
- The union has warned it will call a strike if the Teachers Service Commission does not withdraw the proposal.
- The renewal plan is part of broader reforms to standardise teaching and strengthen professional development, with draft regulations still under public participation.
The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) has threatened to call a strike if the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) does not withdraw proposed regulations that would require teachers to renew their practising licences every five years.
KNUT Kericho Branch Secretary David Bore said the proposal places an unnecessary burden on teachers who are already subjected to regular performance monitoring, arguing that there is no justification for introducing a renewal requirement on top of existing appraisal systems. “There is no justification for asking teachers to renew their practising licences every five years when they are already assessed regularly through performance appraisals,” Bore said.
He maintained that continuous professional development should be geared toward improving teachers’ skills rather than being turned into a condition for maintaining a practising licence, and appealed to the TSC to withdraw the proposal altogether.
“If the commission does not reconsider this decision, KNUT will be left with no option but to organise a strike,” Bore warned, cautioning that failure to address teachers’ concerns could trigger industrial action.
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KNUT Elgeyo Marakwet Branch Chairperson Daniel Chelanga backed the union’s position, faulting the TSC for what he termed inadequate consultation with teachers before the proposal was introduced. “The commission should have engaged stakeholders before developing regulations that directly affect teachers’ careers,” Chelanga said.
The proposed licence renewal requirement forms part of broader TSC reforms aimed at standardising the teaching profession, strengthening continuous professional development and facilitating the international recognition of Kenyan teachers. The commission has said the mandatory Teacher Professional Development (TPD) programme will be offered free of charge, primarily through online platforms.
The draft regulations remain under public participation and are yet to be gazetted and implemented, meaning the proposal could still be amended before it takes effect.
By Kimutai Langat
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