- Kenya should strengthen apex TVET institutions as Technical Universities within the TVET framework rather than converting them into conventional universities.
- A complete TVET pathway from artisan to Doctor of Technology (D.Tech) is essential for a strong and competitive skills economy.
- Specialization, applied research, and industry-driven training are key to the future of technical education and national development.
The future of Kenya’s industrial transformation depends on strengthening TVET institutions, not stripping them of their technical identity.
Beth Mbesu Muroki, Senior Technical Vocational Officer (SDTVET), Kenya.
Recent discussions on the future of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in Kenya have reignited a critical debate about the role of universities within the country’s skills development ecosystem. In his thought-provoking article, “Kenya’s Universities Should Exit the TVET Space and Refocus on Degree Training,” published by Scholar Media Africa, Prof. Maurice Okoth contends that universities should relinquish their involvement in TVET and concentrate on their primary mandate of degree education, research, innovation, and the advancement of scholarship.
According to Prof. Okoth, university-owned TVET institutes have struggled with low enrolment, weak financial returns, overly theoretical instruction, and a mismatch with the hands-on, competency-based culture that defines genuine technical education.
This position aligns with the intentions of both the Universities Act, 2012, and the TVET Act, 2013, which envisioned specialization rather than duplication. Universities were expected to focus on degree programmes, research, and advanced scholarship, while TVET institutions, including National Polytechnics, Technical Training Institutes (TTIs), and Vocational Training Centres (VTCs), would lead in technical skills development, practical application, and competency-based education.
However, there is another equally urgent issue that deserves attention. If universities are expected to exit the TVET space, Kenya must also stop converting apex TVET Centres of Excellence into conventional universities. Instead, the country should embrace the model of the Technical University, also known internationally as a University of Applied Sciences or University of Technology, which should remain the natural apex of the TVET system under the Technical and Vocational Education and Training Authority (TVETA).
The Wrong Approach: Converting Flagship TVET Institutions into Conventional Universities
Kenya has witnessed growing pressure to upgrade leading TVET institutions, such as the Ramogi Institute of Advanced Technology (RIAT), into conventional universities. While such transitions are often viewed as progress, experience suggests otherwise.
A notable example is the Kenya National Polytechnic, which was chartered in 2013 as the Technical University of Kenya (TU-K). Following the transition, academic degree programmes increasingly took precedence over diploma and certificate courses that had traditionally focused on technical and vocational skills development.
A similar trend emerged when Mombasa Polytechnic became the Technical University of Mombasa (TUM).
Rather than strengthening technical training, these transitions have often created institutional identity crises. Institutions originally designed to produce highly skilled technicians have gradually shifted toward offering generic academic degrees.
A 2025 analysis by The Standard argued that the conversion of polytechnics into universities led to the loss of their primary mission of hands-on training, contributing to critical skills shortages in sectors such as agriculture. Similar concerns were previously raised by former Education Cabinet Secretary Prof. George Magoha, who warned that Kenya risked a shortage of professional technicians if the trend continued.
The challenge became so significant that in 2023, President William Ruto directed the re-chartering of the Technical University of Kenya to ensure it genuinely fulfilled its technical mandate.
Why the Conversion Model is Harmful
- Loss of flagship institutions: TVET Centres of Excellence represent decades of investment in specialized workshops, modern equipment, competency-based curricula, strong industry linkages, and a culture of practical learning. Converting them into conventional universities undermines this accumulated capital.
- Creation of weak universities: The converted institutions do not instantly become strong universities. Instead, they often lose their practical focus while struggling to compete with established universities in research and academic excellence.
- Weakening the entire TVET sector: The TVET ecosystem loses its strongest institutions, while the newly created universities frequently begin from a position of uncertainty. Rather than strengthening education, the process weakens both sectors.
The Right Approach: Extending the TVET Sub-Framework of the KNQF
The solution is not to abandon the TVET mandate but to complete it.
The Kenya National Qualifications Framework (KNQF) provides a suitable foundation. As a 10-level learning-outcomes-based framework, the KNQF comprises three sub-frameworks:
- Academic
- TVET
- Industry
For many years, the TVET sub-framework has effectively been viewed as ending at Level 7, equivalent to Higher National Diploma (HND) or Bachelor’s-level qualifications. This has created a perceived dead end, forcing apex TVET institutions to either stagnate or transition into conventional universities under the academic framework.
The proposed solution is to formally extend the TVET sub-framework to Level 10, thereby creating a complete and autonomous pathway for technical education.
Technical Universities versus Conventional Universities
| Feature | Technical University (Apex TVET) | Conventional (Comprehensive) University |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Applied research and solving real industrial problems | Basic research and generation of theoretical knowledge |
| Curriculum | Competency-Based Education and Training (CBET) | Knowledge-driven and lecture-based |
| Staffing | Blend of academics and industry professionals through dual-training models | Primarily academic staff with PhDs |
| Output | Capstone projects demonstrating practical application | Traditional academic thesis |
| Sub-Framework | TVET | Academic |
| Regulator | TVETA | Commission for University Education (CUE) |
Proposed Qualification Pathway
| KNQF Level | Technical University Pathway | Academic University Pathway |
|---|---|---|
| Level 7 | Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) | Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) |
| Level 9 | Master of Technology (M.Tech) | Master of Science (M.Sc.) |
| Level 10 | Doctor of Technology (D.Tech) | Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) |
Under this model, the Doctor of Technology (D.Tech) would become the terminal qualification within the TVET pathway, emphasizing applied research, innovation, and industry-ready solutions. Its culminating output would be a capstone project rather than a traditional academic thesis.
Policy Recommendations
To establish a coherent and effective education system, the following measures are proposed:
- Complete the TVET Pathway: The Ministry of Education and the Kenya National Qualifications Authority (KNQA) should formally extend the TVET sub-framework of the KNQF to Level 10. This would create a legitimate progression pathway from artisan training to the Doctor of Technology qualification within the TVET sector.
- Re-Charter Technical Universities: Existing Technical Universities, including TU-K and TUM, should be re-chartered under the TVET sub-framework. This would legally anchor their focus on applied research, dual training, and industry-responsive innovation while maintaining their place within the TVET ecosystem under TVETA.
- Re-Profile Apex TVET Institutions: Institutions such as the Ramogi Institute of Advanced Technology (RIAT) should be upgraded into Technical Universities within the TVET framework rather than being converted into conventional universities. Such a move would strengthen, rather than weaken, the TVET sector.
- Fund Education According to Purpose: Government funding should recognize the distinct needs of basic education, TVET institutions, and universities, ensuring each receives adequate and purpose-specific support.
A Call to TVET Stakeholders
The debate on universities exiting the TVET space is necessary and timely. However, the conversation should not end there.
Kenya requires a complete and autonomous TVET pathway that recognizes the unique value of technical and vocational education. Rather than creating more struggling conventional universities from former TVET institutions, the country should strengthen Technical Universities as the apex of a coherent 10-level TVET framework.
A robust technical education system built on specialization, practical competence, and industry relevance is essential for Kenya’s competitiveness and socio-economic transformation.
Specialization, not duplication. A complete pathway, not a dead end. That is the natural upgrade and the path toward a globally competitive, inclusive, and effective education system.
Further Reading
Don Seeks Clarity on TU-K Charter – A detailed report on the legal ambiguity surrounding the Technical University of Kenya’s charter, including Prof. Francis Aduol’s explanation of the Section 19 versus Section 25 distinction. The case highlights why Kenya’s Technical Universities may require re-chartering under an appropriate legal framework.
RELATED: Kenya’s Universities Should Exit TVET Space and Refocus on Degree Training
The writer is a Senior Technical Vocational Officer (SDTVET) in Kenya.
