Educator Relief: MPs Aiming to Lighten TSC’s TPD Burden
Educator Relief: MPs Aiming to Lighten TSC’s TPD Burden. Members of Parliament are actively urging the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to establish official documents that would enable the government to cover the annual refresher training expenses for educators. Additionally, Teacher Professional Development (TPD), mandatory professional courses, comprises multiple chapters and incurs an annual cost of Sh6,000. This accumulates to roughly Sh180,000 throughout a teacher’s career.
Moreover, the members of the National Assembly Education Committee have expressed their dissatisfaction with TSC Chief Executive Nancy Macharia for not including these funds in the budget. Consequently, they demand an explanation for the calculation of these training fees, while also questioning the lack of regulation similar to school and university fees.
In addition, Florence Mutua, the committee’s chairperson, emphasizes the need for TSC to allocate these funds independently in the government’s budget. Concurrently, MPs are also requesting a legal framework allowing the government to cover these training expenses.
TSC refers to Section 35(2)(a) of the TSC Act, which mandates TPD. Nevertheless, MPs are seeking further clarity on the formula for capping training fees.
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The Act mandates all registered teachers to engage in career progression and professional development programs. Simultaneously, Regulation 49(1) specifies that a teaching certificate is granted upon successful program completion. However, those who don’t complete the program will have their registration certificate suspended until they do.
In essence, all teachers will need refresher courses to maintain their jobs. To facilitate this, TSC has selected institutions such as Kenyatta University, Riara University, Mount Kenya University, and the Kenya Education Management Institute for teacher training.
The TPD program is scheduled during school holidays and encompasses both online and in-person modules. Furthermore, it offers the introductory module, which includes five chapters to complete within a year, in an online format.
Omboko Milemba, chairman of the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers, insists that the state should cover the costs. On the other hand, teachers’ unions assert that the employer should either share or fully cover the expenses.
Moreover, MPs are actively calling on the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to establish legal documents for government payment of annual refresher training fees. Moreover, Wilson Sossion, a nominated MP, contends that the government should bear the burden, emphasizing the financial challenges many teachers encounter.
On another front, the Kenya National Teachers Pressure Group (KNTPG) advocates for TSC to finance TPD and questions the eligibility of the program, especially for teachers nearing retirement. Additionally, they raise concerns about its location and recognition.
According to TSC, the TPD program is a separate project requiring a dedicated budget allocation.