Mombasa: Over 8,000 students who sat the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations last year have opted to pursue courses in TVETs and other colleges. Speaking in Mombasa during a capacity-building workshop organized by the Kenya Association of Technical Training Institutions (KATTI), Cabinet Secretary for Education Julius Ogamba highlighted a growing trend of high school graduates embracing TVET programs.
According to Kenya News Agency, the number of students choosing TVETs is expected to increase as the Ministry of Education releases results of the ongoing application of courses under the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS). Ogamba emphasized that TVET holds the key to unlocking Kenya’s economic potential by equipping the youth with hands-on, job-ready skills that align with the demands of the 21st-century job market.
Ogamba noted the country’s industrialization and digitization efforts necessitate a highly skilled and adaptable workforce. He pointed out a current mismatch between the skills possessed by job seekers and the requirements of employers, particularly in sectors such as manufacturing, construction, hospitality, and ICT, which urgently need skilled technicians, artisans, and service providers.
He explained the government’s support for capacity building, collaboration, and continuous improvement in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Institutions under the theme ‘strengthening TVET leadership for a sustainable future.’ With over 200 public and numerous private TVET institutions in Kenya, the government is promoting vocational training as a viable alternative to academic education.
Courses offered in TVET institutions include electric engineering, plumbing, culinary arts, and digital skills, providing youth with diverse pathways to employment or self-employment. Ogamba noted that TVETs foster entrepreneurial mindsets, enabling graduates to become job creators. Many skilled artisans and technicians trained through TVET start their own Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), contributing to local economic growth and innovation.
The CS called for collaboration from public-private partners to maximize TVET’s potential, urging community involvement and awareness campaigns to change the outdated perception of vocational training as a last resort for those who fail academically. He highlighted success stories of TVET graduates and linked skill development to national goals, such as the Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), to inspire more youth to embrace vocational training.
According to the CS, the transition to Competency-Based Education and Training (CBET) is a cornerstone of the country’s education reform agenda, aimed at producing graduates who are knowledgeable, skilled, innovative, and ready to compete in the modern labor market. He urged TVET institution principals to institutionalize CBET practices in curriculum delivery and assessment frameworks.
Ogamba advocated for trainers to adopt flexible approaches, integrate workplace simulation, and maintain strong industry linkages. Assessment methods should include continuous evaluation, portfolio reviews, practical assessments, and industry-based feedback. He noted the ministry’s realignment of the curriculum to a modularization program, allowing students to complete specific skill portions in shorter time periods.
Once a trainer learns a particular skill in a modular form, they can receive a certificate and seek employment. If they wish to advance, they can return to continue their studies. Ogamba emphasized that this move will ensure flexibility and accessibility, attracting more students to TVET.
The ministry is working across governments to increase enrollment and raise public awareness about the institutions and subjects offered. The multi-agency approach has increased enrollment from 375,000 students to 600,000. Regarding funding, the CS stated that the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) supports the programs, with the ministry applying for a budget of about Sh.8.5 billion from the supplementary budget to support the TVET sector.
