The government has completed its Plans and are set to admit the first group of diploma teacher trainees.
The Government scrapped certificate courses in a bold move to implement the new curriculum in schools.
The new programme makes diploma the minimum training level for all primary school teachers in the country
Details of Diploma in Primary Teacher Education (DPTE) training reveal that the curriculum has been reformed with core learning areas approved.
The approved areas are professional courses; teacher support courses; English, Kiswahili or KSL for trainees who are hearing-impaired; and physical and health education.
The entry requirements shall be C Plain in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education examination (KCSE) or its equivalent as equated by the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC).
According to the approved curriculum designs, the duration for the diploma training shall be three years,
The CS for Education George Magoha last week said the first group of diploma teachers will be admitted to various colleges in May, marking an end to certificates training.
“We are ready for the first intake in May for teacher training that will be crucial to the CBC,” said Prof Magoha.
Admissions to P1 training classes was suspended last year .The move was aimed at making arrangements to take in diploma students.
The new teacher programme will see teachers trained specifically on how to teach pupils under the CBC.
The TTCs curriculum Designs will make teachers’ trainees specialize in three subject areas, having attained a minimum KCSE grade of C (Plain) in the learning areas they wish to focus on.
The areas for specialization have been grouped into four clusters, but teachers will only pick one subject per category for specialty.
Kenya Sign Language, Indigenous Languages, Foreign Languages (German, French, Arabic and Mandarin (Chinese) fall under the first cluster.
Mathematics, Home Science, Agriculture, Science and Technology are cluster two subjects with Social Studies, Religious Education (CRE, HRE, and IRE) listed under cluster three. Cluster four subjects are Art and Craft, Music.
English, Kiswahili, and Physical Health Education (PHE) will be mandatory, but not necessarily specialties.
The three mandatory learning areas will build on the knowledge, skills, and attitudes of the young teacher for effective lesson delivery.
Those who will be approved to teach in schools will have completed the required hours for coursework and passed the stipulated assessment as directed by KNEC.
There shall be three months
Micro-teaching will be done for three months and will be undertaken as a course which will be a pre-requisite for teaching practice.
During this period, teacher trainees will prepare learning and teaching materials and short lessons, which they will try on their peers for practice and feedback.