- Parliament has begun considering the Pre-Service Education and In-Service Training Bill, 2026, aimed at overhauling how teachers are trained and licensed in Kenya.
- The Bill has proposed the establishment of a Kenya Teachers Training College and the consolidation of pre-primary and primary teacher diplomas into one programme.
- The proposed law has introduced a structured framework for continuous in-service training for teachers, education managers and school leaders as part of a broader set of education reforms before Parliament.
Kenya’s teaching profession could undergo a major transformation under a new Bill before Parliament that seeks to overhaul how teachers are trained before joining classrooms and how they continue developing professionally throughout their careers, moving away from a system where a single qualification obtained before employment is treated as sufficient for an entire career.
The Pre-Service Education and In-Service Training Bill, 2026, National Assembly Bill No. 52 of 2026, proposes a comprehensive legal framework covering both pre-service teacher education and in-service training for teachers and education managers. Under the proposed law, individuals seeking registration as teachers would be required to undertake pre-service education in accordance with the Teachers Service Commission Act, creating a closer link between teacher training and professional registration and establishing a clearer pathway from admission into teacher education to registration and classroom practice.
The Bill further proposes that pre-service teacher education be delivered in line with programmes, curricula and curriculum support materials developed by the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD), a move intended to strengthen alignment between teacher-training institutions and the curriculum implemented in schools.
The proposal comes as Kenya continues implementing Competency-Based Education (CBE), which requires teachers who can move beyond traditional instruction to nurture competencies, creativity, critical thinking, problem-solving and practical skills among learners.
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Among its most notable proposals is the establishment of the Kenya Teachers Training College, an institution that would be mandated to offer pre-service education, conduct research and advise the Cabinet Secretary responsible for Education. Its creation could introduce a more unified national framework for teacher preparation and enhance consistency in training standards, curricula, assessment and quality assurance, although the proposal also raises questions about the future role of existing teacher-training institutions and how responsibilities would be distributed among colleges, universities and the proposed national body.
The proposed legislation also seeks to restructure existing teacher education programmes, including the consolidation of pre-primary and primary teacher preparation into a unified Diploma in Teacher Education for Pre-Primary and Primary. This could alter training pathways for thousands of prospective teachers and require institutions to realign their programmes, staffing and resources, with students already enrolled in existing programmes likely requiring clear transition arrangements to avoid disruption.
Beyond training for new entrants, the Bill introduces a structured framework for in-service training covering teachers, education managers and school leaders, making continuous professional development a more formal component of a teacher’s career progression. As curriculum demands, technology, assessment systems and learner needs evolve, teachers would be expected to continuously update their knowledge and competencies rather than treating their initial qualification as the end of their professional learning.
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The proposed emphasis on continuous training could also have implications for future teacher licensing and professional regulation, with a teacher’s career progression potentially depending not only on initial qualification and registration but also on evidence of ongoing professional development. The Bill places strong emphasis on regulation and quality assurance in teacher training, which could result in closer oversight of institutions preparing teachers and greater enforcement of nationally consistent standards.
The teacher-training Bill forms part of a broader set of education reform proposals currently before Parliament spanning basic education, teacher training, curriculum development, assessment, tertiary education placement and higher education financing. The Pre-Service Education and In-Service Training Bill, 2026 remains a proposal and must undergo parliamentary scrutiny and the full legislative process before it can become law.
By Hillary Muhalya
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