-
Machogu said the enrolment has outstripped the recommended ratio between trainers and trainee of 1:20.
-
He said TVETs now had a trainer ratio versus trainee ratio of 1:55.
Image: MoE/X
Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions have more students enrolling creating a need for more teachers.
Speaking in Nairobi on Thursday, Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu said the current enrollment into TVET institutions is at 389,962 students against 7,133 Trainers.
Machogu was speaking during 6th Conference on the Partnership for Skills in Applied Sciences, Engineering and Technology (PASET) in Nairobi.
Machogu said the enrolment has outstripped the recommended trainers-to-trainees ratio of 1:20.
He said TVETs now have a trainer ratio versus trainee ratio of 1:55.
"The government has recruited 2,000 trainers as part of the continuous recruitment of trainers to address the imbalance," the CS said.
He said Kenya is revamping the TVETs system to make it meet the growing industrial and labour market needs of the country.
Machogu noted that TVETs are a powerful tool to prepare the youth for the labour market and provide lifelong learning opportunities to adults, hence the need to provide strong training space for young people.
The CS has attributed the massive enrollment of students into the TVET system to several factors.
These include 100 per cent transition to secondary school, capitation for students who enroll in TVET institutions as well as rebranding and support for special needs institutions.
“Government support for TVET and the interest by students has outstripped the capacity of the current infrastructure, equipment and support facilities to meet the training needs of the students,” Machogu said.
He said the government is reviewing the legal framework of the TVET system to streamline the management of technical trainers and to harmonise their schemes of service.
Hendrina Doroba said African governments should give top priority to the development of TVET institutions in their respective countries.
Doroba is the African Development Bank Division Manager for Education, Human Capital and Skills Development.
She said the countries should set its own agenda on development and ask development partners to support them.
She said the governments should be firm in determining the direction of their socioeconomic development.
Present during the panel discussion included Chair of PASET Governing Council and Rwanda Minister of State for Education Claudette Irere.
The forum attracted academia, industry and governments across Africa for the last two days.
The aim was to discuss the future of skills, education and entrepreneurship in the continent.
The symposium was organised under theme, “Leveraging Technical, Vocational and Technical Training (TVET) in the knowledge and skills ecosystem for Africa’s industrialisation”.