Teachers Service Commission has rejected a proposal by universities to do away with Mathematics as a compulsory subject for students seeking to join degree and diploma teaching programmes.
TSC wants Mathematics to remain a compulsory subject and that the proposal by vice-chancellors, registrars and deans under the auspices of the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (Kuccps) should be annulled.
TSC Quality Assurance and Standards Director Dr Reuben Nthamburi yesterday said Mathematics literacy is critical in the implementation of competence based curriculum and that teachers must be trained on how to best handle it.
His remarks came barely a week after a similar Kuccps meeting with universities on placement criteria for degree programmes, which proposed introducing alternative subjects for Bachelor of Education and removal of Mathematics as part of minimum subject requirements.
“We, as TSC, would want to clearly state that the issues of entry requirements of the Bachelor of Education are still under discussion. We have met the executive committee of vice-chancellors and agreed to have another meeting,” said Nthamburi.
TSC Minimum Academic and Professional Requirements for Registration of Teachers
| GRADE | CURRENT REQUIREMENT | |
| a | ECDE | CERTIFICATE |
| i. Minimum of CPE/KCPE plus ECDE Certificate from KNEC. | ||
| ii. Minimum mean grade D+(Plus) at KCSE and ECDE Certificate from KNEC. | ||
| iii. Minimum mean grade D (Plain) at KCSE, KNEC proficiency certificate, ECDE Certificate from KNEC Diploma | ||
| DIPLOMA | ||
| i. Mean grade C (Plain) at KCSE and ECDE Certificate from KNEC. | ||
| ii. Mean grade C+ (Plus) and above for University Diploma | ||
| DEGREE | ||
| i. Mean grade C+ (Plus) and above | ||
| b | PTE | i. Minimum grade C Plain in KCSE and above |
| ii. PTE Certificate from KNEC | ||
| iii. Mean grade of C- (minus) for visually and hearing impaired persons | ||
| C | Diploma in Education | i. Minimum grade C+( Plus) in KCSE and above and C+ (Plus) in the two subjects specialization. |
| ii. At least C (Plain) in English | ||
| iii. C (plain) in Mathematics for Science-based courses | ||
| iv. D+( plus) in Mathematics in non-science based courses | ||
| d | Diploma in Education for Visually and hearing impaired | i. Minimum grade C (Plain) in KCSE and above. |
| ii. At least C Minus in English | ||
| iii. C- (Minus) in Mathematics for Science based courses | ||
| iv. D (Plain) in Mathematics in non-science based courses | ||
| e | Bachelor of Education | i. Minimum mean grade C+ (plus) and above or its equivalent. |
| ii. C+ (Plus) in two subjects of specialization | ||
| f | Bachelor of Arts/ Bachelor of Science | i. Minimum grade C+ (Plus) in KCSE and above and C+ (Plus) in the two subjects of specialization. |
| ii. Post graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) |