Nyeri: The State Department for Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) has initiated the transformation of the TVET curriculum into smaller specializations to be assessed and accredited within three months.
According to Kenya News Agency, TVETs Principal Secretary Dr. Esther Muoria emphasized that breaking down the Competency-Based Education and Training (CBET) into short modules will enable trainees to enter the job market more swiftly. This new approach aims to reduce both the cost and the duration of training. Dr. Muoria stated, “We are shifting from a situation where our young people will be in an institution, training for a whole year. We are doing this so that we give them an opportunity to transit to the world of work.”
Under this new system, learners in TVET institutions can undertake their preferred courses in modules, receiving certification for each completed level. This modular approach allows trainees to either continue their education or use their acquired skills to enter the workforce. The restructured mode of study will also incorporate a micro-credential system to assess and certify learners, a method typically used for accrediting short training programs.
Significant changes accompanying this new curriculum include a reduction in theoretical content. “We are going to teach as very little theory as possible if not actually none, so that if it is communication, we are going to embed it within the trade area so that the communication that is taught is in accordance with that trade,” Dr. Muoria explained.
The curriculum review will standardize entry requirements for all learners, regardless of their educational background. Dr. Muoria noted that this change will allow individuals, including those already working in the informal sector, to access skills training or upgrade their competencies progressively. “In another one month, we will make that curriculum completely ready so that those who are coming in May will have the same entry requirements,” she said.
Dr. Muoria shared these insights during the opening of the modularization of the CBET curricular workshop at the Nyeri National Polytechnic. This workshop convened TVET sub-sector stakeholders and industry representatives to align the curriculum with market demands. The new system is set to launch in May across all TVETs nationwide, aiming to boost enrollment and attract industrial investment.
To maintain an up-to-date inventory of available skills in the country, TVET heads will be required to submit records of the number of people trained and certified under the new system. Dr. Muoria highlighted the importance of a skilled workforce for industrial growth in Kenya, stating, “For the world to agree to come and establish their industries in Kenya, the most important factor is a skilled pool of youth.”
The goal is to have at least two million youths enrolled in TVET institutions by the end of the year, with the number of graduates depending on enrollment figures.