Students hailing from the northern part desiring to be trained as P1 teachers got a reprieve after the government declared a plan to lower the entry qualifications of the profession to grade D+.
However, non-locals applicants are required to have attained a minimum grade of C plain to be enrolled in the program.
Also, the applicants with visual and hearing impairment are conditioned to have at least a grade of C-.
The move is aimed at attracting more requisite applicants to address the acute shortage of teachers that is bedeviling the region.
Statistics from the ministry of education show that only 10% of the students at the teaching colleges hail from the northern part of Kenya.
The region suffered a huge exodus of non- local teachers who cited insecurity and violations of their basic rights by the locals, paralyzing the learning institutions greatly.
Education Cabinet Secretary, Ambassador Amina Mohamed stated that this programme will seal the last intake of P1 teachers as the government is drafting a plan to scrap the P1 training in July and replace it with a diploma training.