Education Ministry banks on advisory committee to align TVET with labour market

Textile designers demonstrate their skills in Textile design at the Kisumu National Polytechnic on April 10, 2025. [Michael Mute, Standard]

The Education Ministry, through the department of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) has today officially inaugurated the Dual Training Advisory Committee.

Principal Secretary for TVET, Dr Esther Muoria, said the launch marks a major step in Kenya's efforts to close the skills gap and align TVET with labour market demands.

According to her, the Dual Training Advisory Committee is a key governance structure aimed at strengthening the collaboration between training institutions and industry by institutionalising work-based learning as a core component of technical and vocational education.

"The Advisory Committee will serve as the governing body overseeing the national implementation of the Dual Training Policy," she said, adding, "Its mandate is to provide policy guidance on the quality and relevance of training."

Dr Muoria said the committee brings together stakeholders from the government, private sector, development partners, and civil society to ensure that training remains relevant, responsive, and aligned with the evolving needs of the labour market.

While hailing the establishment of the committee as a transformative step in bridging the gap between education and employment, Muoria said the committee is expected to meet quarterly and provide regular progress reports to the Ministry.

"Today's inauguration of this advisory committee reaffirms our commitment to closing the gap between classroom learning and the real-world skills demanded by industry. Let this committee stand as a model of collaboration and a driving force for change. Together, we will make dual training a cornerstone of Kenya's workforce transformation and national development," she said.

Since 2019, the State Department for TVET has been implementing the Dual Training approach across the country.

READ: How vocational training is bridging market skills gap

The programme, which combines classroom learning with hands-on industry training and mentorship, is supported through a Euro 15 million joint financing from the Governments of Finland and Germany.

Its launch thus marks a critical first step in actualising the Dual Training Policy, laying the foundation for a more responsive, industry-driven training system.

Dr Muoria said it signals a new chapter for Kenya's workforce development, where collaboration, innovation, and practical skills take centre stage in preparing young people for the demands of today and the opportunities of tomorrow.

A 2023 report by the Federation of Kenya Employers (FKE) on skills gap documented that the top TVET skills demanded by the respondents' enterprises are transport and logistics (21.3 per cent), electrical (21.1 per cent), and building and construction (18.2 per cent).

Similarly, the most demanded engineering skills by enterprises included computer and software engineering (30.7 per cent), followed by electrical and electronics engineering (27.4 per cent) and mechanical and production engineering (25 per cent).

"Most of these enterprises studied (73.1 per cent) used training to fill the skills gap in their enterprises. These trainings were offered in collaboration with other organisations in capacity building space," read part of the FKE Skills Needs survey report 2023.