The Teachers Service Commission, in Kenya, has stipulated different qualifications for one to become a teacher in Kenya.
Whereas these vary with the level of learning, position, and subject area one is going to teach, the general ones include the following:
1. Educational Qualifications
Primary School Teacher:
A minimum of a P1 Certificate from a recognized teacher training college.
For those with higher qualifications, for example, the Diploma in Education, further training and or certification may be considered.
Secondary School Teacher:
A Bachelor of Education, B.Ed. degree or a degree in any subject plus a Postgraduate Diploma in Education, PGDE.
For specialized subjects like mathematics, sciences, and technical courses, candidates have further specific degree qualifications besides teaching qualification.
Specialized Teachers:
Teachers in special education, music, physical education, among others, require additional training or certification relevant to the field.
2. TSC Registration
In Kenya, a teacher is obligated to register with the Teachers Service Commission. To effect the same, one will be needed to provide documents such as academic qualifications, identity document, and a valid certificate of good conduct from the police.
TSC registration has been used as the minimum mandatory employment requirement in both public and private institutions.
3. Age Requirement
The age of the applicants ranges between 21 and 45 years, but it may be relaxed to enable the need for specialized teachers.
4. TSC Employment Application Process
Applications are usually made on the Teachers Service Commission portal where most of their job vacancies get advertised.
Application usually occurs online, by filling out the employment application form of the TSC while providing the necessary documents in line with requirements such as certificates, ID, passport-sized photographs, among others.
5. More Information and Other Requirements
Kenyan Citizenship: All applicants must be Kenyan citizens.
Conduct: Police Certificate of Good Conduct.
Medical Fitness: Medical Certificate with an indication that the candidate is fit to teach.
TSC Employment Exam: In the case of a very competitive vacancy, candidates may be required to sit for an exam, apart from the qualifications stated.
6. TSC Job Vacancies
Normally, the TSC advertises for teachers’ vacancies through media, which includes the website of the TSC, newspapers, and school notice boards.
Specific subject needs may be depending on the levels of education such as primary and secondary or even on specialized skills a teacher may possess: technical subjects, special education, etc.
7. Conditions for Deployment
TSC employs teachers, who are then posted to teach in any part of the country, even the remote or hard-to-reach areas, depending on the staffing needs of the Commission.
8. Teacher Professional Development
There is an expectation for teachers to be pursuing continuous professional development during the service.
TSC requires the teachers to engage in Continuous Professional Development, CPD programs in most instances as part of the requirements for retention and promotion.
