TSC Requirements for courses, Diploma, degree and primary school Teachers;-Teaching is a noble in Kenya. if you intending to become a teacher in Kenya, then it’s important for you to know the current requirements by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC).
It will be a waste of time for you to undertake a teacher training course only for you to be rejected by TSC upon graduation. The TSC requirements for teachers keep on being revised from time to time. You can check in here in the future to get updated with the changes.
TSC Requirements for courses, Diploma, degree and primary school Teachers
This article explains all the qualifications for secondary school teacher in Kenya as set by the TSC (Teacher service commission).
Qualifications for secondary school teacher
Now, TSC has set diverse requirements for Kenyans desiring to be registered as secondary teachers. And it all comes down to your education qualification.
Here are the various TSC qualifications for secondary school teachers:
Secondary School Teachers (TSC degree qualification)
- You must hold a Bachelor of Education degree in 2 teaching subjects.
- You must have a mean grade C+ (Minimum) and or its equivalent.
- In addition, you should have a C+ in 2 subjects of specialization.
- You may also be considered with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Bachelor of Science (Bsc.) degree
- A mean grade of C Plus (minimum) in your O levels.
- Additionally, you are expected to have a C+ in the 2 specialization subjects.
- Lastly, you need to hold a PGDE (Post graduate diploma in Education) from an accredited university for this Degree.
Note: Holders of Bachelor of Education degree plus a C Plain KCSE mean grade and a C Plain grade in the two specialization subjects at KCSE will be considered as long as they have pursued a diploma in Education or have an A-Level qualification.
Also, note that holders of Bachelor of Science (BSc.) degrees with Education or Bachelor of Arts (BA) degrees with Education qualify if they have the mandatory two teaching subjects.
Primary school teachers
The last batch to qualify is those who are currently practicing as primary school teachers and have met the below requirements:
- Are Kenyan Citizens.
- Have a PI Certificate.
- Have a Bachelor’s Degree (BeD) in Education (with the 2 mandatory teaching subjects).
- Have a KCSE mean grade of C+ (Plus) at the KCSE (or its equivalent) and a C+ in the 2 teaching subjects.
- Be currently employed by the TSC.
Technical Teachers
Like the rest, you must hold a C+ (plus) mean grade (minimum) at KCSE or an equivalent qualification a C+(minimum) or a credit pass in your preferred two teaching subjects or 1 principle and 2 subsidiaries (at ‘A’ levels).
In addition, you should have:
- A BeD Tech (Bachelor of Education in Technology) degree OR
A Bachelor of Science (BSC.) degree in the relevant technical Subject(s)/Courses or
A Higher National Diploma in an applicable Technical course or an ordinary Diploma in an advertised Technical Course. - Further, you should hold a DTTE (Diploma in Technical Teacher Education) from KTTC (Kenya Technical Trainers College) or a PGDE from an accredited University.
TSC requirements for secondary teachers holding a Diploma.
Diploma Secondary School Teachers
To start with, you must have a Diploma in Education from a recognized Teacher Training institution in Kenya.
You should have scored a C+ mean grade C in your KCSE exams (and above) and a C+ in both your specialization subjects.
The above requirement changes if you graduated with your Diploma in Teacher Education in 2008/before.
In this case, you will be employed if you hold:
A mean grade of C Plain, of course, in your KCSE (and above) and
A C plain grade (minimum) in English and
A C plain grade (minimum) in Math if you have a Science-based diploma OR
A D+ (plus) grade (minimum) in Math if you have a non-science-based diploma.
Special needs teachers
TSC requirements for special needs teachers (Visually and hearing impaired)
Holders of a Diploma in Education for Visually/hearing impaired students have to meet the following additional requirements to be eligible for employment by the TSC:
- KCSE mean grade of C Plain (minimum)
- C minus grade (minimum) in English
- C (minus) grade (minimum) in Math if you have a Science-based diploma OR
D (plain) grade (minimum) in Math if you have a non-science based diploma.
Tip: Both KSL and Braille are considered as teaching subjects meaning you can apply with combinations like Biology/KSL or Geography/Braille
Qualifications for secondary school teacher -Important tips
Still on the TSC requirements for secondary teachers, here are things to keep in mind:
1.If your degree is in subjects that are not taught in secondary schools, you will not be considered the fact that you have since graduated with a PGDE notwithstanding.
These include holder of Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree in areas like Forestry, Natural Resources, petroleum studies, Meteorology, Fisheries, and more.
2.Graduates of the following subjects can be considered for Business Studies and IRE/CRE teaching vacancies:
- Economics/Accounting
- Social Education & Ethics (SEE)
3.Turning to Diploma holders, you’re free to apply for English/Literature teaching positions as long as you have a combination of English and any other subject.
4.But for Agriculture, Home Science, Computer studies, and Business studies, you must have taken the 2 specialization subjects at the KCSE level to be eligible. Having said that, to be considered, you need to have scored at least a C+ in Math at the KCSE if you’re targeting Business studies or Computer (yet you had not taken them in form 4). On a similar note, you need a mean grade of C+ in Biology if you’re targeting either Agriculture or Home Science (and again you had not taken them in form 4).
5.Candidates who present enhancement certificates/transcripts from any recognized institution shall qualify for employment.
6.Applicants who had previously been employed under contract terms but were later terminated due to having inadequate units in the teaching subjects as per the TSC approved subject combinations can qualify on condition that they have since acquired the requisite certificates in suitable enhancement courses.
7.Back to qualifications for secondary school teacher at the graduate level and you’re supposed to have taken at least 8 course units for every teaching subject to qualify.
8.You should have pursued a pre-university, bridging course, or A – level in the relevant subjects if you had not attained the required mean grade of C+ in those units at the KCSE whether you’re a Degree or Diploma holder. Here is the catch: a bridging certificate shall only be accepted if you had a C plain in the applicable subjects and not lower. Besides, the bridging certificate should have been pursued prior to joining your teaching course.
9.The minimum qualification to be considered for teaching vacancies in secondary schools in Kenya is a Diploma in Education from one of the approved teaching training colleges in Kenya. Plus, you must also have studied TSC approved subject combinations.
TSC requirements for secondary teachers: Other requirements
To stand a chance to be hired by the TSC next time they announce a recruitment exercise, you must meet these additional requirements;
- You have to be a Kenyan citizen.
- You must not be more than 45 years old.
- You have to be a registered teacher (have a TSC number) according to the provision of the TSC act, Section 23.
Note: If by any chance you have been registered by the TSC but don’t yet have the Certificate of Registration, attach the online print out of your TSC number together with the original bank slip reflecting your payment to the TSC for the registration.
Likewise, if there’s an academic or professional certificate you’re missing at the time of applying, you must prove that you have applied to KNEC for confirmation of such certificates. And it’s upon you to follow up with KNEC (within 14 days).
Secondary school teacher employment for those above 45 years old
According to the latest, TSC guidelines, teachers who are over 45 years can still apply for employment but it will be on contractual terms.
This category of teachers shall be hired on a 3-year long contract, renewable subject to achieving a satisfactory performance.