
The government is set to employ 3,000 trainers for Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) institutions.
The Principal Secretary for the State Department of Vocational and Technical Training (VTT), Dr. Margaret Mwakima, said the Ministry of Education will ensure there is better service delivery in the institutions.
She was speaking recently during the opening of the TVET North Rift regional office in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County.
She noted that the trainers should align themselves to fit in the Competency-Based Education Training (CBET).
They will undergo training for better service delivery in the institutions.
“Already, the Public Service Commission has authorized for the recruitment of 3,000 more trainers in the next financial year,” added Dr. Mwakima.
According to Dr. Mwakima, all technical trainers will be promoted during this financial year.
“The competency in the industry is very essential for the improvement of education in the region,” she said.
She said that the decentralization of the offices is essential as it brings services closer to people.
She further lauded the counties for availing vocational training.
She said home craft centers are now a devolved function in terms of staffing, structural development and capacity building.
The new office will serve seven counties, including Uasin Gishu, Nandi, Trans-Nzoia, Elgeyo Marakwet, Baringo and Turkana.
“We wish to reassure our county governments that through TVETTA and other state agencies responsible for the oversight of the vocational training centers in the country, we will come up with innovative ways as well as policies, standards, and curriculum for our youths’ development,” said Dr. Mwakima.
She said that the regional offices will bring services to the counties and aid in mapping all TVET institutions in the region while weeding out illegal ones.
“What we are here for is to give you the services that you need to be able to improve and ensure that you are within the quality and the standards that are mandatory for better service delivery,” added Dr. Mwakima.
The PS noted that TVET is the way to go as there is a lot of impact in skills acquisition through credible training.
There are still some challenges facing TVETTA institutions, according to the PS.
“The constraints and challenges in TVETTA include inadequate training facilities, delay of funding to Technical and Vocational Training Authority (TVTA) institutions, unqualified trainers and inadequate water in most of the institutions in the whole country,” said Dr. Mwakima.
She further asked the legally established TVET institutions to embrace collaborations to be able to guarantee graduates’ competency, which enables them to contribute to the economy.
According to the Director-General of Technical and Vocational Training Authority, Dr. Kipkirui Lang’at, the authority is strategically placed to ensure that there is the promotion of quality education and enhancement of the management of education in TVET institutions.
He said that in an endeavor to deliver their mandate, they have developed guidelines for the operations of TVET institutions in the region, which includes six national regulatory standards.
“Inspection and accreditation of over 2,159 TVET institutions have been done. Over 7,000 trainers have been registered and licensed,” said Dr. Langat.
“286 CBET programs have been accredited. We have built capacity to TVET institutions for the realization of the quality assurance,” said Lang’at.
He said that the North Rift region is emerging as an education hub, with a total of 211 TVET institutions.
This includes 2 national polytechnics; Eldoret National Polytechnic and Kitale National Polytechnic.
According to Dr. Lang’at, the regional office will help in stamping out the issuance of the internal certification, non-compliance of trainers’ qualification, use of inferior facilities and infrastructure.
He said that the office will enable TVET institutions to conform to the standards and regulations set so that at all times, quality training will be offered in the technical institutions.
“TVET graduates will not be compromised if we shall be able to uphold the standards,” added Lang’at.
Uasin Gishu Governor, Jackson Mandago, on his side noted that CBC is the best curriculum.
“Competency-Based Curriculum is the way to go. I want to thank the Ministry of Education for coming up with the reforms in education as it is responsive to the current labor needs,” said Mandago.
He also asked the National Treasury to increase funding to TVET institutions for effective functionality.
While affirming that he will set up more vocational training centers in each ward, he noted that TVET institutions have a key role in the creation of employment.
According to the Kenya Association of Technical Training Institutions (KATTI) national chair Mr. Josphat Kipkemboi, the government should disburse allocations to the TVETS on time so that there shall be no crippling of the activities in the institutions.