Description
Higher education in Africa has been thriving to widen access to quality education in the last two decades through diverse locally, regionally and globally initiatives (EFA, MDGs, Vision 2020/2030, SDGs, Agenda 2063…). However, a cocktail of impediments has been slowing down the implementation of these noble agenda. This paper intends to examines pre-service teachers’ perceptions of possible pedagogical issues to effective teaching of the 21st century skills and how the latter will impact their professional lives. Twenty-First Century (21st) Skills are skills required for learners (at all levels of education systems in Africa) to function and succeed in global-oriented and globalized 21st e-society (e-everything and e-everywhere). The purpose is to unpack the main impediments in the pedagogical integration and mainstreaming of 21st Century skills in teacher education as perceived by pre-service teachers at Kabarak university in Kenya. Embedding 21st century skills in teacher education is necessary and long overdue in sub-Saharan Africa, especially in meeting the requirements of Competence-Based Curriculum (CBC) standards. This paper purposes to explore pre-service teachers’ perceptions of how 21st Century skills are integrated in their professional preparation, their ability to effectively implement 21st Century skills at secondary education level and work-related skills for their professional survival. The paper will also offer practical proposals and strategies for African nations to re-examine and reform their teacher education curricula as a condition sine qua non for teachers to be fit for purpose at the exit of their preparation.
Keywords:
Teacher Education, 21st century skills, Competence-Based Curriculum, e-everything (e-everywhere), pedagogical implementation
