The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) is set to introduce a new mandatory licensing system for all teachers, requiring them to complete a five-year Teacher Professional Development (TPD) cycle before renewing their teaching licences.
Acting TSC Chief Executive Officer Eveleen Mitei announced the changes while speaking at the 49th Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association (KESSHA) Annual Conference in Mombasa on Thursday, June 25, saying the reforms are aimed at professionalising the teaching service and supporting the implementation of Competency-Based Education (CBE).
TSC Links Teacher Licence Renewal to 5-Year Teacher Professional Development Programme
Under the new framework, teachers will be required to undergo continuous professional training over a five-year period, with successful completion of the programme becoming a condition for the renewal of their teaching licences.
“Teacher Professional Development is aimed at improving your competencies as a teacher. And we are saying that, just like all other professions, the teaching service must be licensed for the simple reason that we have also developed a teacher mobility policy for teachers who want to teach abroad. But they go there and face challenges because we do not license our teachers,” Mitei said.
“So that five-year TPD will lead to the renewal of your teaching licence, just like in any other profession. The lawyers do it, and other professions do it. So, we are equally professionalising the teaching service,” she added.
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According to TSC, the new licensing framework is expected to strengthen accountability, improve professional standards and ensure continuous skills development within the teaching profession.
The Commission also believes the system will improve teacher mobility, particularly for Kenyan teachers seeking employment opportunities abroad, where professional licensing is often a requirement.
Mitei said the reforms form part of broader efforts to support Competency-Based Education, which she described as one of the most significant transformations in Kenya’s education sector.
She noted that the improved TPD framework was developed in consultation with teachers and other stakeholders and is now ready for rollout.
The programme will be delivered mainly online, with limited face-to-face sessions, and will be offered free of charge to teachers.
“The thing that teachers want to hear is that it is free. We will not charge any money for Teacher Professional Development that is coming,” she said.
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TPD Programme Targets Classroom Skills and School Leadership
To support implementation, the Commission is developing a digital learning management system that will host TPD modules and enable teachers to track their progress towards licence renewal.
The framework also introduces two training pathways—one for classroom teachers and another for school administrators and education leaders.
The leadership track will focus on governance, financial management and other school administration components.
Mitei said the structured training programmes will equip teachers to better respond to emerging educational trends, technological advancements, changing learner needs and evolving policy priorities.
She added that the programme will also equip teachers with the knowledge, skills and pedagogical approaches required to effectively deliver the curriculum and assess learner competencies.
“We believe that by strengthening teacher capacity, the Commission will ensure that the reforms are translated into improved classroom practices and enhanced learner experiences,” she said.
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