By Roy Hezron
Top officials in the Ministry of Education are meeting this tomorrow to deliberate on the way forward after only 1, 400 applicants qualified for the new Diploma in Primary Teacher and Early Childhood Development Education despite re-advertising.
Among the issues will be deliberated is the possibility of the Teacher Training Colleges opening in May as it was earlier planned considering the few number of those who qualified for the new Diploma programme.
The government was targeting to place about 7,000 students in its 30 Public Teachers Training Colleges (PTTCs) across the country as from this Month to commence the new Diploma programme which was replaced the P1 Certificate faced out two years ago.
The government only got 683 applicants who qualified to the new programme in its first round of recruitment of March hence forcing it to re-advertise again in April to meet its targets.
Speaking to Education News recently Habat Abdi, Director Teacher Education in the Ministry of Education stated they received more applications but the cluster combination blocked many out.
“We got a good number of applicants but it is after this cluster combination that is not giving people the opportunity,” said Abdi.
Abdi admitted that they have not received the required number of applicants despite re-advertisement and added that they will sit as a ministry to discuss the way forward.
“The Ministry will make a decision on what we will do if we don’t get the required figure,” added Abdi.
Kenya Teachers Colleges Principals Association (KTCPA) National Chairperson Saul Barasa who is also the Principal at St. Paul Kibabii Diploma Teachers Training College said that at the moment it may be a real challenge for TTCs to have the right numbers.
According to the new regulations, applicants for a Diploma in Primary Teacher Education (DPTE) should have a KCSE Mean Grade of C (Plain) or its equivalent with a C Plain in English, Kiswahili, Mathematics, and also a C in any of the Humanities subject and Sciences subjects.
However, for candidates with disabilities, the minimum entry grade is C- (Minus) and a C- (Minus) in the cluster of subjects stated above.
Applicants for the Diploma in Early Childhood Teacher Education (DECTE) require a C (plain) Mean Grade in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education Examination (KCSE) or its equivalent (as equated by the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC), with candidates with disabilities being admitted with a C- (minus) grade in KCSE or its equivalent.
The duration of both courses shall be three years in accordance with the approved Curriculum designs.
