Diploma in Primary Teacher Education, DPTE; Why Teacher Training Colleges, TTCs are not Damping Sites for KCSE Failures
Diploma in Primary Education; Receiving the first cohort- pioneers of primary school teacher trainees in May 2021, teachers training colleges, TTCs are bound to undergo major reforms for better service delivery and competency-based curriculum implementation later.
New TSC Recruitment Demands for Primary School Teachers
For effective service delivery, any secondary school leaver wishing to be recruited by the Teachers Service Commission as a primary school teacher must possess a Diploma in Primary Teacher Education, DPTE.
Kindly note that primary school teacher trainees will no longer pursue a certificate course in P1.
This is in line with impending curriculum reforms that will see the phasing out of the colonial 8-4-4 system, ushering in the 2-6-6-3.
Diploma in Primary Education for Teacher Trainees
The new Diploma in Primary Teacher Education, DPTE was introduced to replace the outdated P1 Certificate course for primary school teachers.
New Curriculum designs for this course and learning materials have already been availed by the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development, KICD in preparation for the complete rollout in May 2021.
How Different is DPTE from P1 Certificate course?
Unlike the P1 Certificate course, Diploma in Primary Education will allow teacher trainees to specialize in three subject areas from the following clusters only:
Diploma in Primary Education, DPTE new Course Clusters
Cluster One
List of Subjects under Cluster one include
Kenya Sign Language
Indigenous Languages
Foreign Languages ie French, German, Chinese and Arabic
Cluster two
List of subjects under this cluster include
Mathematics
Home Science
Agriculture
Science and Technology
Cluster three
Social Studies
Religious Education- CRE, HRE, IRE
Cluster four
Music
Art and Craft
Mandatory Subjects include
English
Kiswahili
Physical and Health Education
Kenya Sign Language for Hearing Impairement
Examination Body
To proceed to the teaching profession, one must complete mandatory course work and attain the pass mark set by the Kenya National Examinations Council, KNEC.
Length of Stay
To successfully complete the required curriculum designs, teacher trainees will take three years. During their stay, they will get nourished with foundational knowledge and skills setting the pace for a professional teaching career.
Here are the new requirements for Diploma in Primary Education Teacher Trainees
C plain mean grade- Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education, KCSE
C plain in two art subjects or languages
One principle and two subsidiaries for Kenya Advenced Certificate of Education holders
C plain in Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education, KCSE with a C-MINUS in two art subjects or languages for P1 Teacher Certificate Holders.
The afore-listed new requirements for Diploma in Primary Teacher Education have been received with mixed reactions by key Education stakeholders with some advocating for the lowering of minimum entry grades following low numbers of qualified teacher trainees signing up for the diploma course.
Some have however lauded the government’s move to tighten entry requirements since Teacher Training Colleges are not damping sites for KCSE failures.
Here is the latest reaction on the new Diploma in Primary Education
Kitui Professionals’ Coordinator Campel Munyambu has said teachers training institutions are not damping grounds for KCSE failures.
He lauded the move by the ministry of Education saying that those who do not qualify to join the approved Teacher Training Colleges can as well pursue other careers.
“Our children need to be taught by people who have qualified to do so. Different careers require different grades. It is good that whoever wants to be a teacher will put more effort in high school to attain the required grade in teaching,” added Munyambu.
The coordinator expressed his concern saying it is funny that there are some key stakeholders advocating for the grade to be lowered to grade C minus.
He said all those grades are not bad but there are other places they can fit in, especially now that there are so many different institutions.
He called upon learners to identify their dream jobs early in life and stop the behaviour of waiting for parents to choose for them what to do and be in life.
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