Colleges expel 3,265 trainee teachers over low entry grade

More than 3,265 teacher trainees admitted to colleges with lower entry grade in October last year have been kicked out of the institutions after studying for two terms.

Education Principal Secretary Bellio Kipsang has since directed that the trainees join technical training institutes if they wish to do so.

Dr Kipsang also withdrew Legal Notice No118 of 2018, which had lowered the minimum admission entry requirement to D (plain) for certificate, C-(minus) for diploma and C+ (plus) for degree.

“You are hereby directed to bring to the attention of all principals of teacher training colleges, both public and private that entry grades for persons entering teacher training colleges shall remain as prescribed in legal notice No.50 of 2016,” said Dr Kipsang in a letter dated April 26 to all regional directors of Education.

Last month, the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), Education Cabinet Secretary, Kenya National Qualifications Authority and Attorney-General agreed to quash the order in a consent signed before Justice Weldon Korir.

This is after TSC sued former Education Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed insisting that it was the only institution that could lower entry grade to teachers training colleges.

Senate Education Committee has since asked the government to compensate trainees who have been kicked out of the colleges.

The committee chairman Christopher Langat (Bomet) said it’s unfair for the government to keep the students in college for two terms and send them packing.