The Debate Between the Teachers Service Commission and the Kenya National Union of Teachers Regarding Minimum Qualifications for Teacher Recruitment: An Analysis
In alignment with Kenya’s Vision 2030, the nation aims to establish itself as “a globally competitive and prosperous country with a high quality of life by 2030.” A key objective of this vision is to evolve into a “newly-industrializing, middle-income country that provides a high quality of life for all citizens within a clean and secure environment.” Education, as a fundamental component of the social pillar of Vision 2030, is essential for the realization of these aspirations. Consequently, teachers represent a vital human resource in this endeavor. Ensuring a steady influx of optimally qualified educators is crucial for fostering a relevant, effective, and dynamic educational system that equips citizens with the necessary skills for various socio-economic and political spheres, thereby propelling the nation toward its developmental objectives.
The Qualification Debate Among Educators
A contentious debate is currently underway between the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) and the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) concerning the criteria for teacher recruitment: should the focus be on the highest academic qualifications or on the results of the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE)?
KNUT advocates for hiring teachers based on their highest academic qualifications, irrespective of their KCSE scores, even if they received a grade of D, provided they hold a master’s degree. This position is premised on the belief that it would facilitate the recruitment of a greater number of teachers and help mitigate the existing teacher shortage.
Conversely, the TSC mandates that candidates must achieve a minimum of a C plain in KCSE to qualify for employment as diploma teachers.
What are the implications of these divergent viewpoints? Should numerical considerations take precedence over quality? What constitutes the irreducible minimum qualifications necessary for hiring educators without compromising the quality of human resources within the educational system, and consequently, the outcomes for learners?
The Unique Context of Teaching in Kenya
In Kenya, teaching is one of the few critical professions that faces scrutiny regarding its outputs (learning outcomes), while comparable professions do not experience the same level of scrutiny concerning the quality of their inputs.
Reports have emerged of teachers and school principals being dismissed due to “poor” academic performance. In contrast, there is a notable absence of similar instances involving doctors or engineers being removed from their positions due to adverse outcomes, such as patient fatalities or structural failures.
While there are indeed tragic incidents in these professions, the preparation of their practitioners is not systematically compromised. It is rare to hear the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPC) or the Engineers Board of Kenya advocating for the disregard of entry-level grades at the undergraduate level in favor of hiring candidates based solely on their highest qualifications.
If Kenya regards education as a profession of equal importance to medicine or engineering, should there not be a clearly defined irreducible minimum established at the secondary education level?
The TSC and KNUT Discourse
In Finland, recognized as one of the premier education systems globally, teachers are required to possess at least a bachelor’s degree. Although Kenya has not yet reached this standard, the TSC appears to be making strides toward establishing higher entry-level thresholds for the teaching profession.
As an organization that amplifies the voices of educators, KNUT should advocate for the implementation of systems that ensure a consistent pipeline of qualified teachers entering the education system, beginning from the completion of secondary education.
The TSC has set the minimum requirement at a C grade for diploma teachers. In collaboration with the Ministry of Education (MoE) and universities, KNUT could propose the intentional development of teacher pipeline programs across universities to facilitate the admission of candidates who meet this threshold.
**Promoting Teaching as a Profession**
Furthermore, the MoE can enhance the appeal of teaching as a career at the secondary school level through initiatives such as internships, mentoring, and scholarship opportunities for high-achieving students interested in pursuing a teaching profession.
This approach would ensure that prospective candidates possess the requisite qualifications from the foundational level. By prioritizing quality over quantity from the outset, a significant shift in the perception of the teaching profession in Kenya can be achieved, thereby affording it the dignity and professionalism it rightfully deserves.
Additionally, there should be a concerted effort to guarantee that once teachers are employed, they receive ongoing and high-quality professional development, including mentorship opportunities, pedagogical training, 21st-century skills, and leadership development to cultivate a cadre of teacher leaders who are curriculum experts capable of mentoring their peers.
Some of these initiatives are already being implemented by the TSC. More critically, KNUT should collaborate with the TSC to establish mechanisms that regularly assess teachers’ preparedness to teach within an evolving and complex national, regional, continental, and global geopolitical landscape.
While it is possible to hire teachers with master’s degrees, they may lack the capacity to effectively apply their content knowledge and pedagogical skills.
If we aspire to advance our nation, we must develop sustainable strategies that will facilitate the realization of our long-term vision. Investing in the quality of human resources within our educational system, throughout the preparation and capacity-building continuum, will enhance our competitive position, improve learner outcomes, and ultimately fulfill our national development aspirations.
