Registration of new training colleges to be approved by Education CS

The registration of new Teacher Training Colleges (TTCs) will now have to be approved by the Cabinet Secretary for Education before they can be allowed to operate, this is according to a Circular dated April 11, 2016 and signed by the Director General, Mrs. Leah Rotich to County Directors of Education of all 47 Counties.

According to a press release, the assessment of TTCs for registration should be carried out by both the Education Standards Quality Assurance Council (ESQAC) officers from the Counties and headquarters.

Mrs Rotich said that after recommendation for registration, approval must be sought from the Cabinet Secretary for Education.

“This is will enable this office to be sure that if a public institution is registered, its funding is captured in the budget, and request Teachers Service Commission to post lectures,” said Mrs Rotich.

“It will also enable proper control of the mushrooming of private teacher training colleges,” she added.

The circular is copied to Cabinet Secretary for Education, the Principal Secretary, State Department of Basic Education, the Secretary/Chief Executive Officer for TSC, and that of the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC).

Registration of other basic Education institutions like primary and secondary schools, however, remains under the County Education Boards, mandated to do so by the Basic Education Act, 2012.

This comes a day after the Ministry of Education revoked all letters it had issued to various individuals and organisations authorizing them to visit schools to discharge various voluntary activities.

In a circular to all County Directors of Education, County Quality Assurance and Standards Officers, and Principals of Schools, individuals or organization, that the decision affects those who have been requested to re-apply for fresh vetting.

In a presser to newsrooms, the revocation follows reports that the Letters of Authority the Ministry has issued to organisations to visit the schools for purely voluntary activities were being used to charge schools for the activities, hence increasing the cost of learning as the burden was passed on to students and parents.