Nairobi, Nairobi County – Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu has commended the progress of the Technical Vocational Education Training (TVET) sector in Kenya. Speaking at the opening of the three-day National TVET Conference 2023 at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) in Nairobi, CS Machogu, accompanied by TVET Principal Secretary Dr. Esther Thaara Muoria, emphasized that the sector is on a successful path towards achieving robust industrial linkages.
According to Kenya News Agency, the implementation of these industrial linkages in the TVET sector aligns with the recommendations of the Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms (PWPER). He highlighted the importance of dual training and robust industrial linkages in equipping learners with practical skills necessary for the modern job market. Machogu underscored the critical need for frequent and effective communication between industries and TVET institutions, particularly in terms of curriculum development.
The CS stressed that industries and TVET institutions should work closely to anticipate and understand future market demands, enabling them to collaboratively develop relevant curricula. The dual TVET initiative, which involves collaboration between the Kenyan government, the private sector, and the governments of Germany and Finland, is a key part of this strategy.
The Government of Kenya, Machogu noted, is relying on the TVET sub-sector to drive industrialization in the country and is committed to fully supporting this sector to realize its objectives. He encouraged TVET principals and industry liaison officers to actively seek out industry partnerships within their regions to strengthen collaborations.
Machogu also recognized the youth as Kenya’s most valuable resource and urged TVET principals to focus on fully equipping Kenyan youth with necessary skills. “Let’s ensure that we have skilled labor in Kenya that we can export,” he stated.
Echoing Machogu’s sentiments, Dr. Esther Thaara Muoria, the Principal Secretary for the State Department for TVET, urged TVET principals to establish strong and effective industrial linkages. She envisioned a seamless integration between industry and TVET institutions to the extent that no distinction can be noticed between the two.
Dr. Muoria pointed out that TVET institutions across Kenya have adopted the Competency Based Education and Training (CBET) curriculum, which balances theoretical knowledge with industrial practice. She noted the successful retooling of trainers from the old 11 national polytechnics and the recent rollout of retooling for trainers from the 13 newly elevated national polytechnics, a move crucial for the effective delivery of the CBET curriculum.