Early Childhood Professional Association of Kenya (ECPAK) member Dr Jeremiah Ireri is scheduled to appear before the Senate Education Committee on Tuesday to present proposals to safeguard specialised preschool teacher training in Kenya.
Dr. Ireri, who is also chairperson of the ECDE County Directors Caucus, Kenya, has raised concerns over recent Ministry of Education reforms that merged the Diploma in Primary Teacher Education (DPTE) and the Diploma in Early Childhood Teacher Education (DECTE) into a single qualification, the Diploma in Teacher Education for Pre-Primary and Primary Levels (DTE-PP&P).
According to Dr. Ireri, the merger risks eroding pedagogical specialization that is critical to early childhood learning. He argues that preschool education requires distinct, play-based and developmentally appropriate approaches that are fundamentally different from primary school instruction.
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He will also draw the Senate’s attention to the suspension of the Upgrading Diploma in Early Childhood Teacher Education (UDECTE), an in-service program that enabled certificate-level ECDE teachers employed by county governments and private preschools to advance professionally. With more than 126,000 registered ECDE certificate teachers across the country, Dr. Ireri warns that the suspension threatens career progression and teacher motivation.
Among the key proposals to be presented are the retention of a standalone Diploma in ECDE Teacher Education, the reinstatement of the UDECTE upgrading pathway with a transition period, and the re-establishment of county-based ECDE training centres to support localized in-service training.
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Dr. Ireri cautions that without clear policy safeguards, the reforms could undermine the quality of early learning, weaken the professional identity of ECDE teachers, and conflict with the principles of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).
The Early Childhood Professional Association of Kenya (ECPAK) is chaired by Dr. John Teria Ng’asike, PhD.
By Obegi Malack
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