A Union representing pre-primary teachers is fearing for the future of Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) in Kenya following the revised high entry grades by the government.
The Kenya Union of Pre-Primary Education Teachers, KUNOPPET, has stated that the Kenya National Qualification Authority (KNQA), has reviewed that for one to qualify for an ECDE Diploma course, the entry grade must be C plain in Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE).
Union national chairman Lawrence Otunga noted that the qualifications are the same for any person who wants to go for Diploma in Primary Teacher Education (DPTE), which has already seen the abolishment of the ECDE certificate course.
“Now tell me: who will take a diploma course in ECDE having in mind what SRC (Salaries and Remuneration Commission) has recommended? Will teachers waste their resources and expect to be underpaid by counties?” posed Otunga.
Otunga stated that the changes will make prospecting teachers in Diploma in Primary Teacher Education, since the qualifications are the same with that for ECDE Diploma, to opt for better terms of engagement with the TSC.
“Why should one go for Diploma in ECDE while the person qualifies for a DPTE, which is under TSC and has a better package? And who will now take care of our ECDE learners in the next 10 or more years to come?” Otunga posed further.
“No institution will be producing ECDE graduates. How I wish the authority involved us and we’d have advised them better. There is no future for ECDE in Kenya,” he added.
Currently, the minimum entry requirement for Diploma in Early Childhood Teacher Education (DECTE) has been raised to C (plain) in KCSE or its equivalent at senior school, which is the same as that of DPTE. Previously, students with C-(minus)
and below could have been enrolled into this programme.
One could even start from Proficiency Certificate in ECDE, whose minimum entry requirement was Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE), then progress to a certificate course whose minimum entry was KCSE D-(minus), then Diploma.
The changes came up as a result of the recommendations of the previous taskforce on Enhancing Access, Relevance, Transition, Equity and Quality for Effective Curriculum Reforms and Implementation of December 2020 by the Prof. Fatuma Chege-led committee, which directed the MoE to ensure all tutors in pre-service teacher education training colleges are inducted on effective interpretation and implementation of the teacher education curriculum framework and design.
