TSC’s April retooling for science teachers recognized for their discipline and commitment

TSC’s April retooling for science teachers recognized for their discipline and commitment

April’s retooling for the more than 19,000 science-focused teacher interns organized by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) featured distinctive traits anticipated from any Junior Secondary School (JSS) cohort.

The event, which concluded last Friday, led many Master Trainers and Trainers of Trainees to communicate and connect across their regions to compare and contrast the traits of April’s group.

In discussions with Education News Hub during the concluding survey of the retooling, a majority of trainers commended the April group for their impressive demonstration of discipline, which made them wish the training could extend beyond the planned timeframe.

In contrast to the arts-based teachers who were retooled throughout 2024, the science-focused interns were noted for their punctuality, arriving at the training sites as early as 7:30 AM.

“They made us arrive at the venues quite early, unlike their arts counterparts, who would often keep us waiting for extended periods. This was a different group,” one trainer from Nairobi acknowledged.

Apart from their punctuality, the teachers exhibited exceptional enthusiasm for the training sessions.

Most of them actively took notes and did not hesitate to ask questions as well as seek clarifications on any unclear topics.

The teachers, who were the majority of the first group to be retooled on a Competency-Based Curriculum, surprised the trainers with practical experiences connected to the training outcomes, showcasing a strong sense of self-efficacy.

Their hands-on methodology reportedly facilitated the trainers’ tasks, allowing them to complete the training material intended for five days in just four, although one day was lost due to the Easter holidays.

Unlike the typically noisy environment associated with teachers concerned about reimbursements, meals, certification, availability of airtime, and the training duration, the April training centers were described as calm and interactive.

The training included Special Needs Education (SNE) teachers who were located at the county level. The survey indicated that pre-vocational teachers were not included in the recently concluded training.

Intern teachers from age-specific special schools, including those for hearing, visual, and physically impaired students, were the focus of April’s retooling. It was also noted that TSC had not hired teachers for the pre-vocational level in the special schools, with those managing intermediate levels assigned to the pre-vocational classes, raising several concerns.