By Azael Masese
Pressure is expected to pile on the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to promote an increasing number of teachers who are seeking higher qualifications and other professional development courses.
Recently, 840 teachers were awarded Diploma in Education Management from the Kenya Education Management Institute (KEMI).
A number of graduands who spoke to Education News expressed optimism that they now stand a better chance of earning that coveted elevation.
However, the commission has put on hold promotion of teachers who have attained higher qualifications since 2014, putting it on collision course with the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT).
Failure to promote after investing in their further studies is part of the reasons the giant union wants to go on strike from 1st September, 2018.
During the 2018 June Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association (KESSHA) conference in Mombasa, TSC Deputy Commission Simon Kavisi said those who seek further education at KEMI and the Kenya Institute of Special Education will not receive automatic promotion upon graduation.
“It increases their chances of getting a promotion when facing the interviewing panel,” Kavisi told Education News.
During the fourth graduation ceremony held at the institute’s Parklands head office, the Director, Grace Ngaca agreed with Kavisi.
“TSC recognises the certificates awarded by the institute when you present the same in a panel, you earn some marks for it,” said Ngaca.
She stated further that with this recognition, you subsequently earn credit thus stands a better chance to get that promotion.
However, the Ngaca promised that they will endeavour to remain relevant in the face of the numerous challenges that face the sector. In the recent past, management of education has emerged a critical issue in the country with school unrest, witnessed during the second term standing out.
“The content of the course gives a clear indication that we have endeavoured to produce 21st century education managers. It is rich in contemporary and emerging issues which are infused across all modules,” she said.
Some of the courses include Education Law, Policy and Reforms; Transforming Education Management; Effective Resource Management, Learner Friendly Institutions, ICT integration in Education Management.
Others include Curriculum Management, Science Technology and Innovation, Guidance and Counselling and Action Research.
“Currently, we are refocusing all our capacity building programmes towards enhancing attainment of the government’s Big Four Agenda,” noted the Director.
To ensure compliance with changing times, KEMI conducts Training Needs Analysis (TNA) in order to capture the needs of our clients. The institute that has equipped over 38,000 teachers since its inception has also introduced short courses to stay in touch with the changing times.
“We have introduced short courses to tackle emerging trends in the society and the Diploma in Education Management is the main and there many more courses,” she stated.
These include financial management, performance contracting crisis management whose duration varies from one week, three days. This was the 7th cohort of 840 institutional managers, graduated with a diploma in education management.
Among the graduands were principals, deputies, heads of departments in secondary schools, head teachers and senior teachers in primary schools, and heads of technical, vocational education and training institutions.
Ibacho High School Deputy Principal Isaac Nyamwange stated that he sought the training in a bid to improve his management skills.
“My principal has gone for the same course and it sounded prudent to pursue a similar course,” he said.
