TSC to engage Teachers, Stakeholders on TPD Program ahead of rollout

The Teachers Service Commission, TSC, is planning to engage to engage Teachers and other Stakeholders on Teacher Professional Development (TPD) Program ahead of rollout. This is the second time that the Commission will be reintroducing the Program after the initial attempt fell through.

The Commission will now carry out Stakeholders’ consultative meetings across the Country. In Nyanza Region, the meeting that will be held at Kisumu Girls National School on 6th May 2025.

“The Teachers Service Commission has planned to undertake stakeholders’ engagement on Teacher Professional Development (TPD) on 6th May, 2025 at Regional level. The aim of the engagement is to seek views on the gaps, design, content and delivery modes, duration, assessment, monitoring, funding and challenges in TPD implementation.” Reads a TSC Memo that was sent to the Teachers’ Unions in the Region.

Get all the details here; TSC Teacher Professional Development, TPD, modules at MKU (Course details, fees, requirements, how to apply).

TSC was forced to stop TPD Program

The Commission first launched the TPD program in 2013. The module that would see public school teachers renew their professional certificates after every five years, was stopped midthough after concerns were raised by Teachers and other stakeholders.

Consequently, TSC scrapped the TSC package which had been incorporated in the online Teacher Performance Appraisal and Development (TPAD) portal. The Teachers would attend the training after schools’ closure; during holidays.

TSC had also planned to launch a sensitization programme on TPD together with the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) after the August polls of 2022.

The teachers’ union had said that the TPD was a good initiative but TSC did not invest in the sensitization of teachers on its need, usefulness and its benefits.

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Collins Oyuu, the Knut secretary general had said that Knut and TSC agreed that the commission organizes sensitisation workshops for all teachers so as to make them understand TPD and its implementation.

Oyuu said that the resistance that was witnessed after the TPD programme was rolled out was occasioned by the fact that proper sensitization was not done.

Teachers would pay Sh6,000 for each of the modules, which were to be done after every five years.

Most teachers who were opposed to the training said they could not afford the costs of training adding that their salaries could not sustain it.

While some of the teachers had been undertaking the course remotely, others could physically attend the sessions.

Kenyatta University, Mount Kenya University, Riara and Kenya Education Management Institute had been contracted to run the training.

How to register for TSC TPD modules – Simplified Procedure

Program Modules

The TPD Program that was earlier introduced had six modules. After completing all the modules, teachers would be eligible for re-certification and promotion since the modules had been anchored in the career progression guidelines.

Following the rejection by Teachers, TSC sourced for funds to run the TPD training.

In the 2022-2023 budget, the commission had set aside Sh289.37 billion as gross current and capital estimates and Sh7.23 billion for general administration, planning and support services.

The allocation was made after lobbying and requests by the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) through the education and budget committees.

“I thank Parliament for being a friend of the teachers despite opposition from the executive which has insisted each teacher gathers for the programme,” Former Kuresoi South Member of Parliament (MP) and Kuppet National Assistant Treasurer Ronald Tonui said.

Tonui who was a member of the education committee, then, said teachers would now undergo the training without spending a shilling.

He said there were concerns from teachers who claimed they were facing difficulties in getting money for the courses.

The MP said TSC was required to follow up with the National Treasury to have the funds disbursed.

TPD Program further details

The TPD policy required all employed teachers in public schools to undergo the training during their holiday season in compliance with the regulation.

A policy paper prepared by TSC in 2018 stated that teachers will be trained for about five days during school holidays.

Upon commencement of the programme, a teacher would be required to acquire a certificate which was to be renewed after every five years.

The guidelines outlined the minimum requirements for teachers’ employment and promotion and spelled out the new grading structures and their respective salary scales.

TSC rolled out the professional development course after four years of opposition from the Kenya National Union of Teachers under former Knut Secretary General Wilson Sossion.

Former Knut secretary general Wilson Sossion had opposed the programme terming it illegal saying they had not been involved in crafting it.

TSC CEO Nancy Machari defended the rollout of the programme saying it updated teacher knowledge, skills, attitude and values and encourages teachers’ learning communities.

Macharia said the teachers would also be up to date with the changes in the academic world.

The Commission said it would use innovative assessment strategies in carrying out the programme, including the use of reflective journals, portfolios and presentations.

TSC Chief Executive Officer Nancy Macharia had earlier said the move was aimed at improving the professional standards of Kenyan teachers, as well as keeping them abreast with the emerging trends in the education sector.

She said TPD is a life-long learning programme organized in six hierarchical competency levels where each level takes five years to complete.

“At the end of each module, successful teachers will have their teaching certificates renewed after every five years,” she said.

Macharia said every teacher registered by the commission will be required to identify and register with one of the accredited service providers, to undertake this programme.

She urged teachers to embrace it, saying it benefits them in line with its objectives.

In 2016 the Commission introduced Performance Contracting for Heads of Institutions and Teacher Performance Appraisal and Development (TPAD) for teachers, with an aim of strengthening curriculum implementation and accountability in the utilization of resources in order to improve learning outcomes.

Teacher unions had earlier on urged the employer to recall the performance appraisal tools, claiming that the exercise had created anxiety among teachers.

There were also concerns that the tool could be used to victimize teachers when seeking promotion and unfairly blame them for poor results.

Macharia however, noted that since the implementation of TPAD, the quality of education had improved.

An Overview of the TPD Model

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).

KePTS is 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 (KePTS)

• 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. 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.

TPD Service providers will deliver each module on behalf of TSC.

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)

Level	Competence
1	Knowledge level on the standards
2	Application level
3	Mastery level
4	Mentorship and coaching
5	Instructional leadership
6	Mastery in Instructional leadership

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 accredit 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.