The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) has opposed the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) proposal to introduce renewable teaching licences for teachers every five years.
The union says while it supports continuous professional development, it does not support making teachers renew their practising licences after meeting all professional registration requirements. KNUT has instead urged TSC to provide free professional development programmes without tying them to licence renewal.
The proposed reforms are part of TSC’s revised Teacher Professional Development (TPD) framework. Under the proposal, teachers would undergo a five-year professional development cycle, with successful completion becoming a requirement for renewing their teaching licence.
The proposal has sparked debate among teachers, with supporters arguing it will enhance professionalism and accountability, while opponents say it could place an unnecessary financial and administrative burden on teachers.
The TSC proposal has not yet been fully implemented, and discussions with education stakeholders are expected to continue.
