The Education Cabinet Secretary (CS) will have the power to lower entry grades for students from marginalised areas to enroll in teacher training colleges (TTCs) if MPs approve a new Bill into law.
Wajir East MP Rashid Amin has tabled a legislative proposal seeking to amend the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) Act to empower the CS to vary from time to time entry grades for students from marginalised areas.
The commission has been setting entry grades for students wishing to join the training schools, but the proposed law change seeks to transfer this role to the CS
The Education Cabinet Secretary (CS) will have the power to lower entry grades for students from marginalised areas to enroll in teacher training colleges (TTCs) if MPs approve a new Bill into law.
Wajir East MP Rashid Amin has tabled a legislative proposal seeking to amend the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) Act to empower the CS to vary from time to time entry grades for students from marginalised areas.
The commission has been setting entry grades for students wishing to join the training schools, but the proposed law change seeks to transfer this role to the CS.
The Teachers Service Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2019 comes weeks after the ministry and TSC settled a row triggered when the CS lowered the entry grade for students seeking to study for diploma in education to C- in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE), down from C+.
Entry for those seeking a certificate in education (known as P1) was cut to D+, down from a C plain, sparking protests from the TSC. TSC apposed the lowering of the grade and got support from the Attorney-General Kihara Kariuki in arguing that the ministry has no powers to lower the admission marks.
“The Cabinet Secretary shall by notice in the Gazette prescribe qualifications required for a person to be admitted for training as a teacher by a training institution prescribing qualification,” Mr Amin said in amendments to Section 22 of the TSC Act.
“The Cabinet Secretary (CS) shall take into account the affirmative action principle in order to promote access to education and training by persons from marginalised counties and persons with disabilities,” Mr Amin said in a proposal he tabled before the National Assembly Education committee.
The Education CS will have power to vary from time to time the entry grades for students from historically marginalised areas. Should MPs approve Mr Amin’s proposed law, students from Turkana, West Pokot, Tana River, Garissa, Narok, Taita Taveta, Isiolo, Kilifi, Kwale, Lamu, Mandera, Wajir, Marsabit and Samburu will be the biggest beneficiaries.
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