Teachers Service Commission (TSC) introduced Teacher Professional Development (TPD) refresher courses in December last year, offered at Kenyatta University, MKU, Riara University or KEMI.
According to TSC, the TPD courses are mandatory to all teachers.
“A teacher who fails to undertake a prescribed TPD shall be dealt with according to the code of regulations for teachers,” warned TSC CEO Dr. Nancy Macharia in a circular released in December 2021.
Each teacher is expected to pay KSh. 6000 per year towards the courses.
Despite resistance from a section of teachers and members of public, TPD training has been going on albeit via online platforms.Last week, teachers received a sigh of relief when Members of Parliament directed TSC to immediately stop the ongoing TPD courses to allow room for consultations and public participation.The legislatures also want teachers to be exempted from paying KSh 6000 annual fee; instead pass the expense to Government.
Apart from that, Parliament also wants the list of TPD service providers expanded. MPs wondered how ‘big’ universities and institutions shunned the bidding process.
The details are contained in a report of the National Assembly Education Committee tabled in the House on March 3, 2022; just before MPs went for a recess.
If the Commission is not restrained from implementing the TPD programme, the rights of teachers and stakeholders under Article 232(1)(d) of the constitution stand the risk of being prejudiced,” said Committee chairperson Florence Mutua, who signed the report on March 1, 2022.So far, TSC has neither responded nor communicated to teachers the status of TPD as April holiday approaches.However, on the ground it seems TPD courses are in progress. According to a statement seen by our team, TPD service providers are asking teachers to pay for the courses.
“Our records show that you have not paid for the TPD programme. You will therefore not be able to access the Learning Management System (LMS) and you will also be excluded from the WhatsApp groups,” read part of the statement sent by the University TPD coordinator on March 10, 2022A spot check reveals that some teachers do not know whether to proceed with payment of TPD fees or to wait for an official communication from TSC.
