By Roy Hezron
Kenya National Union of Special Needs Education Teachers (KUSNET) has supported the recently rolled out Teacher Professional Development (TPD) by Teachers Service Commission (TSC) stating that the programme is within the law.
KUSNET Secretary General James Torome told Education News most recently that TPD is in both the TSC Act of 2012 and Code of Regulations for Teachers (CORT) and the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) is simply implementing what was passed by the lawmakers; urging politicians to stop politicizing the training programme.
“We do not want too much propaganda on TPD. That thing (TPD) it is in black and white in the TSC Act and the CORT and the two documents are talking of TPD. The people who are making noise especially the politicians we are telling them the easiest thing for them to do is not to go and make declarations in barazas, but go to parliament and amend that if they do not want it,” said Torome.
He added that: “If you pass a law in parliament then when it is being implemented you are opposing to it, the simplest thing is you go back to parliament and amend it but not making declarations in burials.”
According to article 35 (2) of the TSC Act 2012 under Compliance with teaching standards, the Act states that the Commission (TSC) shall require every registered teacher to undertake career progression and professional development programmes as may be prescribed by regulations made under this Act; require every registered teacher to take out a teaching certificate as prescribed by regulations made under this Act.
Enter into agreements with any institution, body, department or agency of the Government pursuant to its functions and powers prescribed under this section; and appoint an agent or designate a member or staff of the Commission who may enter any educational institution and make an enquiry in that regard.
The Act states further under 35 (3) that a teacher who fails to undertake a prescribed career and professional development programmes; or take out a teaching certificate shall be dealt with in accordance with the regulations.
The TSC Cord of Regulations for Teachers (CORT) of 2015 under section 41 (3) (b) on the other hand requires a teacher to undertake Professional Teacher Development (TPD)Programme prescribed by the Commission (TSC) as part of the requirements of complying with performance standards.
“Every teacher shall comply with the performance standards specified under the Act and this Code and shall in the course of the teacher duty undertake Teacher Professional Development Programme on curriculum interpretation and implementation as may be required from to time,” reads Section 42 (1) (b) of CORT.
Torome stated that a lot of misconception is being spread about the teachers training (TPD) notably by politicians hence misleading the country in particular teachers by telling them that they will be required to travel to the accredited institutions’ main campuses to be taught which is not the case, adding that the programme will streamline the teaching service.
“No teacher will move out of his or her zonal level, it is the universities which will send their staff to the zonal levels and it is one day in a year face to face session,” noted Torome.
He added that: “Kenya teachers have no certificate of practice unlike other profession like law where lawyers go to Law Society of Kenya and get certificate of practice. Kenya teachers have only training certificate.”
The KUSNET boss noted that the programme will make the teachers remain relevant in the teaching service, be updated like for the current case when the country is transforming to new Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) and for them to continue practicing.
“You see, with this CBC the thing that is confusing them, someone from that day out of college, has never undergone any other course. The way the person was trained while in college that is what the person wants to apply but on the ground things are different. But if the person could be undergoing regular training now TPD, in fact this issue of CBC would not be a big thing,” noted Torome.
