Kenyan teachers’ futures to be determined by performance appraisals, says new TSC code
Teachers’ performance in Kenya will be appraised based on their implementation of the curriculum, with those who score poorly facing dismissal, according to a new code to guide their conduct.
The Code of Conduct and Ethics for Teachers states that the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) will use appraisal reports for promotion, deployment, and other rewards for teachers.
School heads will be required to provide oversight of teacher performance appraisals in their respective schools, submitting an annual staff appraisal report to the TSC.
Local quality assurance and standards officers will be given powers to enter educational institutions to ensure compliance with performance standards, carrying out assessments and discussing findings with any teachers concerned to enable the implementation of corrective action and continuous improvement.
However, the setting up of local quality assurance offices by the TSC in order to identify the training needs of teachers and heads of institutions is opposed by the Ministry of Education. In an advisory opinion, requested by the ministry, the Commission for the Implementation of the Constitution advises that, as spelt out in the Constitution and the Basic Education Act, the TSC has no mandate in quality assurance and management of schools.
Scott A. Imberman has explored the effectiveness of financial incentives for teachers for IZA World of Labor. He concludes that policymakers should favour incentive systems based on incremental improvements in student performance, aligning incentives with multiple outcomes that are both objective and subjective. He recommends that if group rather than individual incentives are used, the groups should be kept small: based on grade and subject.
In his discussion of whether class size matters for student achievement, Christopher Jepsen notes that improving teacher quality, along with policies such as tutoring and early childhood programs, is more effective for improving student performance than reducing class sizes.
Read more about this story at Daily Nation.
Related articles:
How effective are financial incentives for teachers?, by Scott A. Imberman
Class size: Does it matter for student achievement?, by Christopher Jepsen
More IZA World of Labor articles on Education and human capital can be found here.