This article explains all the qualifications for a secondary school teacher in Kenya as set by the TSC (Teacher service commission).
Here are the qualifications needed to be a
secondary school teacher in Kenya.
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:
Graduate Secondary
School Teachers (TSC degree qualification)
You must hold a Bachelor of Education degree
in 2 teaching subjects.
Plus:
- 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
Plus:
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.
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.
Now we look at the TSC requirements for
secondary teachers holding a Diploma.
TSC requirements for
diploma in education arts and all Diploma Secondary School Teachers
To start with, you must have a Diploma in
Education from a recognized Teacher Training institution in Kenya.
Next:
- 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.
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:
1. KCSE mean grade of C Plain (minimum) plus
2. A C minus grade (minimum) in English and
- A C (minus) grade (minimum) in Math if you have a
Science-based diploma OR
1. A 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;
1. You have to be a Kenyan citizen.
2. 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 printout 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.
Lastly, the teachers engaged under this arrangement can only serve up to the age of sixty-five (65) years.