5,000 teachers set for promotion
What you need to know:
- TSC administering proficiency exams in 10 centres around the country for tutors
At least 5,000 teachers are lined up for promotion this year if they pass proficiency tests, their employer revealed on Monday.
Teachers in the P1 job group, will move to the Approved Teacher Status ‘4’ (ATS4) while those in ATS4 will move to Approved Teacher Status ‘3’ (ATS3) job groups, according to Mombasa Teachers Service Commission director Ibrahim Rugut.
“At least 5,000 teachers will be promoted countrywide if they pass Teacher Proficiency Course exams. The exams are for promoting teachers in the P1 category who have at least served for three years in the same job group and are ready to move to the ATS4 level. Those in ATS4 are also doing proficiency exams to elevate them to ATS3,” he said during an interview with the Nation.
On Monday, 500 primary school teachers, 200 of whom were in ATS4 level and 300 who were in P1 level from Coast region sat their promotional exams at Shanzu Teachers College in Mombasa after undergoing an eight-day TSC training course at the college.
Similar exams were ongoing in nine other teacher training colleges in the country -- Kamwenja, Eregi, Migori, Baringo, Bondo, Tambach, Kilimambogo, Machakos and Thogoto.
Mr Rugut said that the exams come in handy for teachers who are disadvantaged in acquiring graduate qualifications on their own to boost their chances for a promotion.
It also offers teachers who have served in one job group for more than 10 years a chance to be elevated as they are automatically considered for the promotional exams.
Those who had P1 certificate and acquired degrees on their own, are also not left out as they are immediately moved from the non-graduate scheme to the graduate scheme.
“Teachers who are unable to upgrade their schemes are the ones we take through this eight-day course. We also did some affirmative action this time around and considered the teachers who have served longest without any promotion,” he said.
However, such teachers are expected to get diploma and degree courses afterwards to boost their promotion.
