TSC trains teachers on new methods of imparting knowledge

The School-Based Teacher Support Programme is a very essential program in education that enhances pedagogical skills to go in line with the challenges of the 21st century.

The course whose theme is, “Institutionalized And Regularized Teacher Professional Development For Improved Learning Outcomes” was intensive attracting a total of over 414 heads of institutions and schools in West Pokot.

Speaking during the training, the moderator, Dr. Nakhisa Mukhisa outlined a number of archaic teaching practices that SBTSS is struggling to resolve which include: Lack of lesson notes, entering classrooms without adequate preparation, limited resources, and, lack of improvisation.

He added that some teachers do allow learners to mark their own work and moderate learner-to-learner interaction during lessons among other unprofessional practices.

He instead insisted that SBTSS is a game changer and has been implemented in stages shifting from the old form of summative assessment whose measurement was annual and instead settled on formative assessment which is continuous and delves into a learner’s competencies.

He added that the course is aimed at putting the learners at the forefront of all learning processes developing from what the learners know, and cascading to what is unknown.

Another very critical aspect of learning according to him is friendly infrastructure, proper staffing policy, and regular capacity building of staff members.

He stressed the need to inculcate a positive attitude among Teachers and learners, especially in concepts that appear difficult, team teaching, and peer teaching which will eventually lead to lesser work for the administrators.

SBTSS is a 6-year program that was started in 2018 and is organized by the Teachers Service Commission, the Centre For Mathematics Teaching in Africa, and the University Of Nairobi.

It entails the use of digital learning and embraced Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL) Which involves learning from what learners know to what they don’t.

The chairman of Curriculum Support Officers, Mr.Neilson Musani confirmed that the essence of SBTSS is to ensure quality teaching, quality staffing, and enhanced pedagogy

He further confirmed that improvement of quality, retention, and transition were Paramount. He stated that vulnerable learners have to be served without reservation