• The government in 2018 halted admission to teachers colleges to revise the curriculum
• Admission criteria has been raised from the current C- to grade C in KCSE
Image: FILE
Teachers colleges will in September begin training a new breed of teachers for primary schools.
The Star has learnt that the pioneer class of students will join the institutions after a year-long delay.
It will be the first step in upgrading the four-decade-old teacher training curriculum that has been in existence since 1980.
The government in 2018 halted admission to teachers colleges to give way to revision of the curriculum.
The students will take a diploma lasting three years unlike the two-year certificate course otherwise known as P1.
The longer training period is meant to offer the learners enough time to train on content and adequate time for practicals.
The changes are intended to produce a better teacher with advanced professional skills.
Admission criteria has been raised from the current KCSE C- grade C.
Kenya is phasing out the 8-4-4 system introduced by the government of former president Daniel arap Moi in 1985.
The new breed of teachers will play a key role as implementing the new competency based curriculum.
The college changes will prepare teachers for the new 2-6-6-3 education system rolled out in 2018.
The current training has been blamed by a section of stakeholders for producing inept teachers.
With knowledge available from numerous sources due to advances in technology, teaching is now shifting towards equipping students with skillsto filter knowledge as well as apply it in an appropriate manner.
Nicholas Maiyo of the Kenya Parents Association acknowledges that the quality of the current teachers was not up to date in solving the problems of a globalized world.
"This is an opportunity for regeneration," he said. "When a teacher passes the age of 45, it's almost impossible to teach them [how to use technology]," Maiyo told the Star on Tuesday.
There are 27 public teacher training colleges in the country.
With the new policy shift, teacher trainees will be required to train in two subjects of their choice.
This is a departure from the current system where teacher trainees are taught all the subjects offered.