Author: Hezron Rooy

Court Strikes Down TSC Hiring Policy on Intern Teachers On Wednesday, Justice Bryrum Ongaya declared that the Teachers Service commission (TSC) had violated the intern teachers’ right to fair labor practices because they are qualified and hold teaching licenses. Justice Ongaya ruled that because the commission’s mandate restricts employment to only competent and registered individuals, it cannot hire, engage, or employ student-teachers or interns. “The respondents have not exhibited statutory regulatory or policy arrangements that would entitle the first respondent (TSC) to employ interns. Ideally, the first respondent should employ registered teachers on terms that are not discriminatory and to…

CEMASTEA Trains 9,595 Teachers on Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL) Approximately 9,595 teachers are undergoing a training course on the expectations of the ongoing school curriculum reforms, which highlight the acquisition of abilities necessary for success in the twenty-first-century workplace. Ms. Beatrice Macharia, Coordinator of Special Programmes and Student Learning at the Centre for Mathematics, Science, and Technology, Education in Africa (CEMASTEA), which is facilitating the courses, stated that the program, which is being held during the April holidays, is aimed at junior secondary school teachers from 47 countries who are assigned to teach pre-technical studies, agriculture, and nutrition. The trainings are…

Junior Secondary School (JSS) In Crisis Following Court Ruling The Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) is worried about the future of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) because the court banned internships for teachers. This comes after the Employment and Labour Relations Court (ELRC) ruled that the commission violated teachers’ right to fair labor practice by offering them internship positions while they were qualified and held teaching licenses. However, the ruling puts the survival of Junior Secondary Schools in jeopardy just two weeks before schools resume for the second term. The teachers have been the driving force behind the…

TVET Leaders Converge For 6th PASET and RSiF Conference Kenya will host global experts in technical and vocational education and training (TVET) during the 6th Partnership for Skills in Applied Sciences, Engineering, and Technology (PASET) Forum and RSiF Annual Conference, which will take place in Nairobi from Tuesday, April 23rd to 25th.  Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu extended an invitation and welcomed the expected delegation to the conference, stating that the conference’s topic is harnessing TVET in the knowledge and skills ecosystem for Africa’s industrialization. He highlighted that the conference will provide an opportunity to engage and interact with PASET Member…

CEMASTEA to Train 9,639 JSS Teachers on Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) The Centre for Mathematics, Science, and Technology Education in Africa (CEMASTEA) intends to train 9,639 junior school (JSS) teachers across the country to provide them with practical skills and knowledge for effectively implementing STEM education under the Competency Curriculum (CBC). Pre-technical studies, agriculture, and nutrition instructors who wish to enhance their teaching and learning skills using learner-centered methodologies are the target audience for the program, “Enhancing Teachers’ Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) for Effective Implementation of the CBC in JSS.” Patrick Kogolla, Deputy Director of Training at CEMASTEA, stated that…

Ministry to Delegate Selection Powers to Universities for VCs, DVCs, Principals and Deputy Principals. The ministry of Education intends to provide universities with the authority to select their officials, including Chancellors, Vice Chancellors, Deputy Vice Chancellors, Principals, and Deputy Principals.  The University Council, the Cabinet Secretary, and the PSC currently select and/or appoint these officials. According to National Education Policy, Sessional Paper 2024, this leads to delays, limits academic autonomy, and undermines accountability.  University students have previously protested decisions to choose or fire a VC, expressing their desire to be involved in the process. After the university council placed their…

Ministry of Education to Establish TVET Trainer Service Council for Hiring Trainers To streamline the educational system, the Ministry of Education has produced a list of policies. The National Education Policy, Sessional Paper 2024 stated that the Ministry, under the leadership of Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu, would establish the TVET Trainer Service Council. The goal is to hire TVET trainers across the nation. According to the survey, trainers play an important role in strengthening technical skills among trainees entering the job market. There is no standardization in the country’s TVET trainer recruitment process. The Public Service Commission (PSC) recruits trainers…

KNUT Meets Bomet County Assembly Over 7-Month Nonpayment of ECDE Teachers On Tuesday, the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Secretary General, Bomet Chapter, Desmond Langat, and other Union officials met with the Speaker of the County Assembly, Cosmas Korir, and members of the Education Committee to discuss issues affecting early childhood development education (ECDE) teachers in the county.  One of the complaints addressed by the teacher’s union was nonpayment of salaries; some teachers went without pay for more than seven months. Langat stated that the deliberations at the meeting were constructive, and that County Assembly members have vowed to…

International Students to Pay in Dollars for Pupil Passes to Study in Kenya Under New Directive In order to study in Kenya, international students must now pay USD 100 for pupil passes. Speaking with an official at one of Kenya’s international universities, it was revealed that the directive was issued last week, at the same time that Kenya updated missionary visas from Ksh15,000 to Ksh150,000. The new regulation also states that international students will no longer be able to pay in shillings.  The administrator revealed that they were shocked to receive an invoice stating that they should pay USD100 (Ksh13,200)…

Government Announces Fee Service Exemption for E-Citizen School Fees Payment Immigration and Citizen Services PS Julius Bitok has defended the e-citizen fee payment platform, stating that individuals who pay fees through the platform will be immune from service fees. “Parents will not pay the Sh50 service fee; all other government services have to pay the service fee, but for payment of fees, they will not pay the service fee,” he said. The PS emphasized the government’s commitment to leveraging technology to increase efficiency, assuring the committee that the platform was meant to provide real-time transfers of cash to school accounts,…