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Teachers to complete a mandatory five-year TPD programme before renewing teaching licences under sweeping reforms unveiled by the TSC.
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The new licensing framework is designed to align the teaching profession with other regulated careers while supporting the implementation of the Competency-Based Education (CBE) curriculum.
Teachers will be required to complete a mandatory five-year Teacher Professional Development (TPD) programme before renewing their teaching licences under sweeping reforms unveiled by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to strengthen professionalism in the teaching service.
Speaking during the 49th Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association (KESSHA) Annual Conference at Sheikh Zayed Hall in Mombasa on June 25, 2026, TSC Acting Chief Executive Officer Evaleen Mitei said the new licensing framework is designed to align the teaching profession with other regulated careers while supporting the implementation of the Competency-Based Education (CBE) curriculum.
“Teacher Professional Development is aimed at improving your competencies as a teacher. That five-year TPD cycle will lead to the renewal of your teaching licence, just like in any other profession. Lawyers do it, and other professions do it. We are equally professionalising the teaching service,” Mitei said.
The reforms mark a significant shift from the current system, under which teachers receive a Certificate of Registration from TSC as a one-time credential that does not expire or require renewal. Under the new framework, teachers will instead hold renewable teaching licences, which must be renewed every five years after successfully completing the prescribed TPD programme.
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According to TSC, completion of the five-year professional development cycle will become a mandatory requirement for licence renewal, ensuring teachers continuously upgrade their knowledge and skills to meet the evolving demands of the education sector.
Mitei said the revamped TPD programme was developed following extensive consultations with teachers and other education stakeholders and is now ready for implementation.
She announced that the programme will be offered free of charge and will be delivered primarily through an online platform, supplemented by limited face-to-face sessions.
“I think the thing that teachers want to hear is that it is free. We will not charge any money for the Teacher Professional Development programme that is coming,” she said.
To facilitate the programme, TSC is developing a digital Learning Management System (LMS) through which teachers will access learning modules, undertake training and monitor their progress toward licence renewal.
The commission has also introduced two separate training pathways under the new TPD framework. Classroom teachers will undertake modules focusing on pedagogy, curriculum delivery and learner outcomes, while school heads and administrators will receive specialised training in leadership, governance, financial management and school administration.
TSC said the reforms are intended to enhance accountability, promote continuous professional growth and raise standards across the teaching profession.
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The commission further noted that introducing renewable teaching licences will improve the international recognition and mobility of Kenyan teachers seeking employment abroad, where professional licensing is a standard requirement.
“We have equally developed a teacher mobility policy for teachers who want to teach abroad, but they face challenges because we do not license our teachers,” Mitei said.
The announcement forms part of a broader package of education reforms unveiled during the KESSHA conference, including the abolition of the two-subject requirement for teacher registration and revised entry qualifications for primary school teachers.
TSC said the changes are aimed at ensuring Kenya’s transition to the Competency-Based Education curriculum is supported by a highly skilled, continuously trained and professionally licensed teaching workforce.
By Benedict Aoya
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