TSC Guidelines on Teacher Professional Development Modules and Structure of TPD in Kenya

The Teachers Service Commission, TSC, has released guidelines on the implementation and structure of the Teacher Professional Development (TPD) modules. Read all the details below.

Introduction to TPD

Teacher Professional development are either formal or informal activities that registered teachers undertake in order to continuously improve their pedagogical skills, management skills and learner outcomes.

Teachers in Kenya have been involved in TPD for many years. But the TPD programmes had some shortcomings.

Common short-comings with existing TPD Programmes (2016)

• The programs do not address individual teacher’s performance gaps.
• The programs do not provide equal opportunity to all teachers
• The programs are not compulsory nor continuous
• The programs do not offer any motivation for continuous learning

Reasons for introducing TPD Modules

21st century demand:

Learners in the 21st century are confronted with increasingly complex social cultural, economic, technological, and global challenges; teachers therefore must prepare learners who possess sophisticated, diversified, and complementary competencies that will enable them to navigate through these challenges.

Global trend :

Most European countries, America , Australia and some African countries have developed comprehensive TPD programme.

What is contained in the new TPD Modules

• Development of a Teachers Professional
• Development policy Framework
• Making TPD compulsory to all teachers
• Making TPD activities a life long learning
• programs carried out in 6 levels
• Introduction of Kenya Professional Teaching Standards
• Use of accredited TPD Service Providers

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Concept of TPD in Kenya

Teachers just like with other professionals, participate in professional development to learn and apply new knowledge and skills that will improve their competence and leadership capacity through structured programmes developed by a regulator.

TPD in Kenya is established as a coordinated and structured professional development by TSC.

All TPD programmes organized by the Commission or by accredited service providers will be based on the Kenya Professional Teaching Standards (KePTS), a set of competency standards that describe what a Kenyan teacher should know and be able to do for improved learning outcomes.

Learning activities in TPD will be delivered through prescribed modules developed by the commission.

Kenya Professional Teaching Standards

• Standard 1: Teacher Promotes Professionalism throughout their Career
• Standard 2: Teacher has Pedagogical Content Knowledge and understanding of competency- based Curriculum and how to implement it.
• Standard 3: Teacher has knowledge on assessment and reporting
• Standard 4: Teacher Knows how to Create and Support Inclusive Education Practices
• Standard 5:Teacher knows and promotes comprehensive school health and safety
• Standard 6: Teacher has knowledge of financial literacy skills
• Standard 7: Teacher knows and practices instructional leadership.

DESIGN AND STRUCTURE OF TPD

The TPD program is structured into six (6) sequential levels corresponding to competency level of the teachers. TPD Service providers will deliver each module on behalf of TSC.

Each level has a corresponding TPD Module

It will take a teacher 5 years to complete one module for a
particular level.

A module is organized in 5 chapters and covers all the the seven KePTS standards

Teachers are expected to enroll and undertake a TPD programme on face to face session once a year during a school holiday.

During the other two school holidays, teachers will undertake TPD through online.

TPD Competence levels ( 6)

There are six (6) Competence Levels as shown in the table below;

Assessment of TPD

TPD activities will be evaluated based on authentic assessment which will include :

• Reflective journal
• Participant led final synthesis
• Individual Professional Portfolio development and Presentation

Incentives for TPD

• Earning of TPD points
• Renewal of Teaching Certificate.

RENEWAL OF TEACHING CERTIFICATE

For renewal of the teaching certificate, a teacher must have completed 5 chapters of a module and provide documentary evidence of having successfully completion.

Upon commencement of the TPD Programme;

• All serving teachers will be required to acquire Teaching Certificate renewable every 5 years,
• while the subsequent applicants for Certificate of Registration will be issued with both certificates.

Accreditation of TPD Service Providers

TPD service providers must be recognized and registered with the Commission to offer services which must address the 7 KePTS.

The Commission will accredited various categories of TPD service providers as follows:

Category 1:Government institutions mandated to capacity teachers: Will align to at least one of the seven KePTS

Category 2:Non government organizations in partnership with the Commission. Will align to at least one of the seven KePTS

Category 3: Organizations selected through competitive tendering system. Will use the Commission’s prescribed modules with all the seven standards.

Funding of TPD programmes based on the prescribed modules.

Direct costs :

Individual teachers will pay the service providers a capacity building fee.

Indirect costs:

The Commission will meet the indirect costs like monitoring of the programme.

MONITORING, EVALUATION AND REPORTING OF TEACHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.

The Commission shall undertake continuous monitoring and evaluation of TPD programme to quality assure, offer professional support and give feedback on the training programmes.

READINESS FOR THE ROLL OUT OF TPD.

The following activities have been carried out in preparation for the national roll-out;

• Four TPD service providers have been identified and accredited
• At least 30 facilitators from each of the TPD service providers have been trained on how to facilitate sessions based on prescribed modules.
• Online delivery of TPD introductory module was piloted in June, 2020
• The Commission has signed contracts with the TPD service providers

WHAT NEXT?

• Offer refresher capacity building of the TPD service providers facilitators ( this was executed on Monday, 20th September, 2021)Publicity of TPD programme
• Enrollment for TPD
• Monitoring the implementation once rolled out.