One college cannot fix teacher quality

The saying, “You cannot put new wine into old wineskins,” captures Kenya’s education dilemma: a system centred on competency, creativity, technology and learner-centred education cannot succeed if the teachers delivering it are trained through outdated approaches.

The government plans to merge 32 teacher training colleges into one institution. The Pre-Service Education and In-Service Training in Basic Education Bill, tabled in Parliament on August 6, proposes pre-service training before teachers can be registered by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC).

The proposal could improve coordination and standardisation. But will restructuring improve what happens inside teacher-training classrooms?

The issue is teacher quality. Under the Competency-Based Curriculum, teachers must assess competencies, identify individual learner needs, use technology, facilitate learning, manage diverse classrooms and connect lessons to real-life problems.

Training must equip educators for competency-based and formative assessment, project-based and experiential learning, and learner-centred teaching. It must prepare them for digital learning and ethical use of artificial intelligence.

Teachers use AI to prepare lesson plans. Learners need guidance on using it responsibly, critically and without surrendering judgement to technology. A teacher may teach for 30 years. Who will keep that teacher current? The institution should become a centre for professional development, digital skills and leadership.

In July, the Teachers Service Commission said Kenyan teachers seeking international jobs are sometimes rejected because foreign systems find gaps in practical classroom training and supervised teaching practice. The institution should address these gaps through documented classroom practice.

Teacher quality also depends on working conditions, resources and professional development. Teachers must be prepared for the learner, including social media, misinformation, anxiety and uncertainty.