Students aspiring to become teachers can now breathe a sigh of relief after the Ministry of Education scrapped some requirements for joining teacher training colleges (TTCs) in Kenya.

Traditionally, students aspiring to become primary school teachers were required to have an average grade of C (Plain) and a minimum grade of C in mathematics, English, Kiswahili, Science, and humanities.

In the latest guidelines, a student must have an average grade of C (plain) without cluster subjects of mathematics, English, or Kiswahili.

Secondary school teachers, on the other hand, must have a mean grade of C plain and at least a C+ in two subjects.

The latest changes come as a relief to thousands of students passionate about teaching but who have been locked out by the previous stringent requirements.

The Kenya Teachers Colleges Principals’ Association (KTCPA) urged the Ministry of Education to send circulars to TTCs to allow them to adopt the revised entry requirements.

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“The revised entry requirements are very important for the country because, for example, a teacher has to master the content of a subject in which you specialize, so you have to have a higher grade in the subject you want to teach.”

“In the beginning, it was still a C plus in the subject. But what has been reduced is from a C plus to a C plain in the average grade,” said KTCPA chairman Paul Barasa.

TTCs offer numerous courses, including the Diploma in Primary Teacher Education (DPTE) and the Diploma in Early Childhood Teacher Education (DECTE). Currently, Kenya has a total of 35 public and 28 private TTCs offering these courses.

While some students are placed by the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service, others apply directly by submitting their KCSE Results Slip to their preferred institution.

However, low enrollments in TTC have for years been witnessed, with some institutions reporting enrolments of less than 20 students.