TSC says it will train more teachers in April to handle junior secondary

At least 200,000 teachers have been trained on the Competency-Based Curriculum in preparation for Grade Six learning.

Teachers Service Commission CEO Nancy Macharia said the Ministry of Education is working to ensure a smooth learning transition for the pupils to progress to the next grades.

More teachers, she said, will be trained beginning in April in preparation for the next grades.
The pioneer group of the CBC curriculum, now in Grade Five, are expected to progress to Grade Six on April 27, when schools reopen for a new academic calendar.

“We have already trained over 200,000 teachers in CBC progressively as we move to the next levels and this April we will be training more others in preparation for the next grades,” Ms Macharia said.

She spoke in Nakuru after overseeing the distribution of Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education exams that began on Monday.

Some 70,486 teachers, she said, were administering and managing the exam.

She said the government has taken into account the plight and challenges of candidates in regions affected by security and drought.

“All factors have been taken into consideration and candidates from such regions will be able to do their exams freely without many challenges,” said Ms Macharia.

A total of 42,915 candidates will sit their KCSE exams in Nakuru County, out of whom 21,407 are boys and 21,508 are girls.

The county has 502 centres – 343 public schools and 159 private schools.

Nakuru County Police Commander Erastus Mbui said the regional security team will work jointly with the ministry to maintain security during the exam period.

Ms Macharia was with Treasury Chief Administrative Secretary Eric Simiyu Wafukho, who said budgetary allocations had been made to cover activities in the new school calendar.

“Though there will be strain on resources due to the double intakes, the government is prepared and has factored it in the budgetary allocation,” he said.