The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has launched a nationwide training programme targeting thousands of senior school teachers in readiness for the Grade 10 transition in January 2026.
TSC Acting CEO Evaleen Mitei on Thursday, July 31, presided over the official opening of the Master Trainers’ workshop at the Kenya Institute of Special Education (KISE). The training brings together key education agencies including TSC, KICD, KNEC, Ministry of Education, KEMI, and KISE.
Mitei hailed the multi-agency approach as crucial to the success of the retooling exercise, noting that collaboration will ensure smooth implementation of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), Competency-Based Teacher Education (CBTE), and Competency-Based Assessment (CBA) at senior school level.
Training Cascade
The programme will follow a smart cascade model:
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Master Trainers are currently undergoing a five-day training at KISE.
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These Master Trainers will train Trainers of Trainers (ToTs) drawn from Curriculum Support Officers (CSOs), Teacher Educators, Quality Assurance Officers, TSC Sub-County Directors, and champion teachers between 4th–8th August.
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ToTs will then retool senior school teachers handling Languages, Sciences, Mathematics, and Technical subjects from 8th–15th August at designated county venues.
On 9th August, Master Trainers, ToTs, and County Directors will hold county-level planning meetings to coordinate the retooling exercise.
Preparing Teachers for Senior School
According to TSC, the training will equip teachers with skills in:
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Competency-Based Education and assessment frameworks.
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Organisation of learning at senior school.
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Effective CBC teaching strategies.
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Understanding learner characteristics and support programmes.
The target group includes both regular and Special Needs Education (SNE) teachers, as well as vocational education instructors, who will be clustered by subject pathways:
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STEM – Pure sciences, applied sciences, technical studies.
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Social Sciences – Languages, humanities, business studies.
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Arts and Sports Sciences – Music, fine arts, theatre, sports.
Learners currently in Grade 9 are the pioneers of CBC and will transition to senior school in January 2026, having already selected their subjects and pathways.
Teacher Selection Criteria
TSC has directed county offices to nominate teachers based on school staffing levels. For instance, a school with up to four teachers will send two for training, while larger schools with more than 70 teachers will send up to 30.
Each training class will accommodate 60 participants, handled by three ToTs for effective coaching. The exercise will be residential for ASAL and SNE teachers, and non-residential for others.
Inclusion of Private Schools
In its July memo to county directors, TSC emphasized the need to also invite teachers from private institutions, though they will be required to cater for their own transport, meals, and accommodation.
The retooling programme is expected to enhance teacher readiness for the rollout of senior school pathways, ensuring a smooth transition for learners entering Grade 10 in January 2026.