Teachers Service Commission Identifies Key Learning Areas For Teachers Training

The teachers’ employer in Kenya, the Teachers Service Commission,  has identified key learning areas that it recommends universities and colleges should introduce in their teacher training programmes in preparation for the rollout of the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) in junior and senior school.

In an advisory to the Ministry of Education, the CEO of the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), Nancy Macharia said the alignment of the training programmes by universities and private colleges is intended to equip teachers with requisite skills, in line with the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development Basic Education Framework.

The advisory is copied to the PS for Implementation of Curriculum, Prof Fatuma Chege, the CEO of the Commission for University Education, Prof Mwenda Ntarangwi, and vice chancellors of universities that train teachers.

According to the TSC, the new learning areas that universities need to give special attention include pre-technical and pre-vocational education, life skills, agriculture and health education.

Optional subjects include indigenous languages, Kenya Sign Language, visual arts, and performing arts.

It further identifies various subjects where skills gaps exist, such as leatherwork, Mandarin, woodwork technology, plumbing and ceramics.

Dr Macharia added that to implement the teaching of some of the learning areas, there is a need to retool teachers in home science and biology to facilitate learning in health education, social studies to include content on citizenship and sports and physical education to include the aspect of sports and health introduced in the learning areas.