Up to 50,000 university graduates
are released into the job market from our universities annually.
Out of this number, about 100 to 200
students eventually seek enrollment in Technical and Vocational Education and
Training (TVET) institutions to gain first-hand practical skills to fit into
their preferred market.
These students are turning to TVET
due to the high demand for practical skills that can make them competitive in
the job market.
A report by the Ministry of
Education, in collaboration with the Kenya National Qualification Authority
(KNQA), titled Vocational Education and Training Graduates – Challenges in
Practical Skills to the Job Market, shows that approximately 2.3 million
youth are unemployed, while others are in roles that are not aligned with their
qualifications—further exacerbating the challenge.
Further research by VOA News on
‘Work Readiness’ found that most students are not specifically trained for
market readiness, making them unprepared for what is expected once they join
their companies of choice.
Additionally, companies often want
applicants who are experienced, yet most university graduates lack work
experience.
To address these challenges, the
government, through the TVET Authority (TVETA), has made deliberate efforts to
improve the quality and accessibility of vocational training.
TVETA is responsible for registering
and accrediting institutions, approving training programs, and ensuring
learning standards are maintained.
Permanent Secretary of the State
Department of TVET, Dr. Esther Muoria, explains that the goal of TVET is to
equip learners with skills that can help them earn a living—whether through
formal employment or self-employment.
“TVET does not only provide
theoretical knowledge but also practical training. It is a matter of
competency, not just showing you can do it by word of mouth. We focus on 50/50
theory and practical to ensure our learners are ready for the job market—just
like the German education model,” affirms Dr. Muoria.
TVET institutions have shown
significant enrollment growth over the past years, indicating strong student
interest in acquiring practical skills. The institutions offer a wide range of
courses in areas such as engineering, hospitality, agriculture, information
technology, and business.
These institutions enrol students
who attained a grade of C- and below and offer short-term programs, giving trainees
hope of achieving their goals more quickly.
Dr. Muoria adds that TVET enrollment
now stands at 700,000 students, compared to 300,000 in 2024 before she came
into office. This represents a significant increase of 400,000 students—an
impressive 130 per cent rise.
In our one-on-one conversation with
TVET beneficiary Collins Kipkemei, during the Office of the Government
Spokesperson’s ‘Sema na Spox - Bonga na Gava’ program last week, we saw the
extent to which TVET is preparing young people for the job market.
"I am one of the 700,000
students that the Permanent Secretary is talking about who have benefited from
TVET programs.
Right now, I am working on an
Affordable Housing construction project in Ruiru. I am skilled in both layering
and masonry, and the practical training I received has helped me become highly
competent in my work," said Collins.
Collins sees TVET as a program that,
if properly invested in, can improve Kenya’s economy by reducing reliance on
foreign labor in sectors like construction and engineering. He describes it as
“the way to go” for Kenya.
The Affordable Housing Project,
Collins says, is revolutionizing the workspace. “No more outsourcing of
contractors or electricians from China because all the necessary skills are
with us,” he adds.
“Right now, I’m able to open my own
workshop and employ others to maximize their skills while working,” he said.
From the ‘Sema na Spox, Bonga na
Gava’ podcast, we also learned that TVET institutions collaborate with partners
to develop the best curriculum for learners.
"We have a very strong
collaboration with the National Government Administrative Officers (NGAOs),
with whom my team works under the leadership of the Deputy County Commissioners
(DCCs), enabling recruitment of youth into TVET,” explains PS Muoria.
She says her department will
continue to establish more institutions to encourage more young people to join
and access practical skills.
“So far, we have 240 TVET
institutions across the country, and we are only remaining with 50
constituencies. Our goal is to ensure all 290 constituencies are covered to
give learners access to education and quality skills,” PS Muoria disclosed.
“We have stopped training our young
people in theory and have fully embraced what we call Competency-Based
Education and Training (CBET) since September 2021. We aim to train our young
people in specific skill sets.”
She adds that young people must be
competent in what they do, so industries no longer complain about the gap
between education and work, skills and training, or theory and practice.
Like any other sector, Muoria
explains, TVET also faces challenges—from learners and trainers to
certification, funding, and technology.
She cited retraining of recruits as
a major concern for industries, giving an example of Toyota Kenya. “At one
time, I went to Toyota Kenya and found that they had a small school where they
were retraining their new recruits. This broke my heart because it showed the
newly employed Kenyans did not have adequate skills to meet the company’s
requirements.”
TVET has responded to such
challenges by adopting various programs to help its trainees perform
exceptionally well in the workplace.
The curriculum has been revised to
adopt a dual training model, based on the German system, where 50 per cent of
the training is done in institutions and the other 50 percent in industry.
“Young people are now being
recruited from industry, trained with industry, and for industry so they
transition directly into industry. This has been likened to a river flowing
back to its source,” PS Muoria said, adding that unemployment will soon be a
thing of the past.
She also disclosed that the
government is establishing TVET institutions in marginalised areas to ensure
that technical skills are accessible to youth in every part of Kenya.
There is also increased investment
in building and upgrading TVET institutions across the country, providing
modern equipment, training instructors, and promoting partnerships with
industry players to ensure students gain hands-on experience.
TVETs are now seen as a critical
part of Kenya’s development strategy, especially in supporting the BETA Plan,
which focuses on MSMEs, affordable housing, healthcare, ICT, and agriculture.
By producing skilled workers, TVETs help drive economic growth and reduce
reliance on foreign labour.
As more young people embrace technical and vocational training, Kenya moves closer to achieving its Vision 2030 goal of becoming a middle-income, industrialising nation.
Oprah Nyaboke works at the Office of Government Spokesperson
