How to Become a Teacher in Kenya: Entry Requirements for Diploma in Education, PGDE and More

Updated 24 October 2026

To teach in any public or private school in Kenya you must be registered by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC). Section 23 of the TSC Act, 2012 makes it an offence to engage in teaching without registration, and the Commission only registers people whose KCSE grades and professional training meet its published minimums. This guide explains each route into teaching, from early childhood to secondary school, the grades each one needs, and how to register once you qualify.

In this guide

1. The main routes into teaching
2. Diploma in Primary Teacher Education (DPTE) requirements
3. Diploma in Secondary Teacher Education (DSTE) requirements
4. Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) requirements
5. Degree plus Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE)
6. ECDE teaching requirements
7. How to register with TSC
8. After registration: getting hired
9. Frequently asked questions

The main routes into teaching

Kenya has four broad training paths. Which one suits you depends on the level you want to teach and on your KCSE results.

Route	Level you can teach	Where it is offered	Minimum KCSE
ECDE certificate or diploma	Pre-primary (early childhood)	ECDE colleges, TTCs	D+ for certificate, C plain for diploma
Diploma in Primary Teacher Education (DPTE)	Primary and junior school	Public and private primary TTCs	C plain (C minus for learners with visual or hearing impairment)
Diploma in Secondary Teacher Education (DSTE)	Junior and senior school	Kagumo, Kibabii and Lugari TTCs and some private colleges	C+ with C+ in two teaching subjects
Bachelor of Education (B.Ed)	Secondary school	Universities	C+ with C+ in two teaching subjects
Degree plus PGDE	Secondary school	Universities offering the Postgraduate Diploma in Education	C+ with C+ in two teaching subjects

The old P1 certificate is no longer offered. Anyone joining primary teacher training today enrols for the three-year Diploma in Primary Teacher Education, which was introduced with the Competency Based Curriculum.

Diploma in Primary Teacher Education (DPTE) requirements

The TSC registration requirements say a DPTE holder qualifies for registration with a minimum KCSE mean grade of C (plain), or C minus for applicants registered as persons with disability. There is no extra subject cluster, so a C plain overall is enough to apply. Places in the 30-plus public primary TTCs, such as Asumbi, Kaimosi, Kericho, Kigari and Machakos, are allocated through the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS), which opens its portal for TTC applications alongside other college courses.

If you are applying through KUCCPS for the first time, our guide on how KUCCPS placement works explains the portal, the application fee and the revision window.

Diploma in Secondary Teacher Education (DSTE) requirements

The secondary diploma is more demanding because you specialise in two teaching subjects from the start. TSC’s published minimums for a diploma in education are:

• a KCSE mean grade of C+ (plus) or above;
• C+ (plus) in each of your two subjects of specialisation;
• at least C (plain) in English;
• C (plain) in Mathematics for science-based combinations, or D+ (plus) in Mathematics for non-science combinations.

Applicants with visual or hearing impairment qualify with a mean grade of C plain, C minus in English and C minus in Mathematics for science combinations, or D plain in Mathematics for other combinations. Public DSTE places are offered at Kagumo, Kibabii and Lugari teachers’ colleges.

Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) requirements

A B.Ed is the most common route to secondary school teaching. TSC registers B.Ed graduates who scored a KCSE mean grade of C+ (plus) or above, with C+ (plus) in the two subjects they specialised in. The degree takes four years and includes teaching practice in a school. Common combinations are Mathematics and Physics, English and Literature, Kiswahili and CRE, Biology and Chemistry, and History and Geography.

Note that the university admitting you to a B.Ed may accept you with grades that TSC will later reject. Check that your two teaching subjects both have a C+ at KCSE before you enrol, otherwise you may graduate and fail to register.

Degree plus Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE)

If you already hold a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in a subject taught in schools, you can qualify as a secondary teacher by taking a one-year PGDE. TSC registers BA or BSc holders with a PGDE where the applicant had a KCSE mean grade of C+ (plus) and C+ in the two teaching subjects, and the degree covered both subjects. TSC has also said that some degrees will not qualify for registration even with a PGDE when the degree content does not match teaching subjects, so check the Commission’s current list before paying PGDE fees.

ECDE teaching requirements

For pre-primary teaching, TSC lists an ECDE certificate from KNEC with a minimum KCSE mean grade of D+ (plus), or an ECDE diploma with a mean grade of C (plain). A university ECDE diploma or degree needs a mean grade of C+ (plus). ECDE teachers are mostly employed by county governments, so watch county public service board adverts as well as TSC.

How to register with TSC

Once you have your professional certificate, apply for registration online. TSC does not accept paper applications.

1. Go to the TSC online registration portal at tsconline.tsc.go.ke and choose new registration.
2. Fill in every section, including your email address and KRA PIN.
3. Scan and upload original copies of your KCSE certificate, professional certificates and transcripts, national ID or passport, and a passport photo.
4. Pay the non-refundable registration fee of KSh 1,050 through eCitizen, using M-Pesa paybill 222222 or another approved government payment method.
5. Submit and track your application. TSC says applicants usually get a decision within 30 days, after which you can view your TSC number online.

TSC also asks for a certificate of good conduct and a KRA PIN certificate. If you do not have them yet, see our guides on getting a certificate of good conduct and getting a KRA PIN. Giving false information on the form is an offence under Section 44 of the TSC Act, punishable by a fine of up to KSh 100,000, twelve months in jail, or both.

Registration item	Detail
Portal	tsconline.tsc.go.ke
New registration fee	KSh 1,050 (non-refundable)
Duplicate certificate fee	KSh 2,050
Payment	eCitizen, paybill 222222
Typical decision time	About 30 days

After registration: getting hired

Registration does not guarantee a job. TSC recruits teachers into public schools through periodic adverts, and internship programmes have been used to place newly trained teachers in junior schools. Many graduates also start in private schools, which must still employ TSC-registered teachers. You can browse current teaching and education vacancies on jobinkenya.co.ke.

Frequently asked questions

What grade do I need to become a primary school teacher in Kenya?

A KCSE mean grade of C plain for the Diploma in Primary Teacher Education, or C minus for applicants with visual or hearing impairment.

What are the requirements for a diploma in secondary teacher education?

C+ overall, C+ in your two teaching subjects, C plain in English, and C plain in Mathematics for science subjects or D+ for arts subjects.

Can I teach with a degree that is not in education?

Yes, if you take a PGDE and your KCSE results show C+ overall and C+ in two teaching subjects covered by your degree.

How much is TSC registration?

New registration costs KSh 1,050, paid through eCitizen on paybill 222222. A duplicate certificate costs KSh 2,050.

How long does TSC registration take?

TSC says it vets applications and gives a decision within about 30 days.

Sources: Teachers Service Commission teacher registration and recruitment requirements; TSC online registration portal notes; TSC Act No. 20 of 2012; KBC and Education News reports on KUCCPS TTC applications.