The Ministry of Education has defended the recruitment process in public Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has assured the Senate that hiring across the sector complies with constitutional requirements on diversity, gender balance and equal opportunity.
Appearing before the Senate Standing Committee on National Cohesion, Equal Opportunity and Regional Integration, Ogamba said staff recruitment in public institution of learning reflects regional balance and is all inclusive.
The CS noted that the country's 246 public TVET institutions currently employ 23,388 staff drawn from all 47 counties, demonstrating that the sector has achieved nationwide representation.
"All the 47 counties are represented among the employees serving in public TVET institutions," Ogamba told the committee.
The committee, chaired by Marsabit Senator Mohammed Chute, had sought to know whether recruitment in TVET institutions reflects the country's diversity.
The committee sought clarification on whether appointments comply with the Constitution on ethnic and gender diversity, and what measures the Ministry has put in place to ensure equal employment opportunities for women, persons with disabilities and marginalized communities.
The senators also wanted to know whether the Ministry complies with the National Cohesion and Integration Act, which seeks to prevent domination of public institutions by members of a single ethnic community.
Ogamba said the country's 246 public TVET institutions currently employ 23,388 staff drawn from all 47 counties groups have equal access to employment opportunities.
Ogamba said recruitment in TVET institutions follows a competitive process involving institutional councils and boards, the State Department for TVET and the Public Service Commission.
“Every recruitment exercise is publicly advertised and specifically encourages applications from women, persons with disabilities and members of marginalized communities in line with constitutional requirements,” Ogamba said.
According to the Ministry, men make up 56.8 per cent of the TVET workforce while women account for 43.2 per cent, meaning the institutions comply with the Constitution's two-thirds gender principle, which requires that no gender occupies more than two-thirds of positions in public institutions.
The CS added that trainers constitute the largest category of employees, followed by technical personnel, administrative officers and support staff.
To address staffing shortages in technical institutions, Ogamba said the government has recruited 3,300 trainers through the Public Service Commission since 2022.
"The Government has recruited 3,300 Public Service Commission trainers since 2022 to strengthen staffing in TVET institutions," he said.
The Ministry further told senators that public TVET institutions undergo regular audits to ensure compliance with the National Cohesion and Integration Act, which provides that no more than one-third of employees in a public institution should come from the same ethnic community.
Ogamba said these audits help monitor diversity while ensuring institutions reflect Kenya's national character.
He also revealed that the Ministry is finalising new human resource instruments expected to take effect in October 2026.
According to the Cabinet Secretary, the new guidelines will strengthen governance, standardise recruitment procedures and promotion practices, and improve accountability across all public TVET institutions.
In addition, the committee raised concerns over access to education for the Daasanach community in Marsabit County, particularly the availability of schools, teachers and other education services in the remote region.
In response, the Ministry outlined several interventions aimed at improving learning opportunities in the area.
Ogamba said the government has established Illeret Sub-County to bring education services closer to residents, expanded school infrastructure, deployed additional teachers and continued providing school meals and capitation funds to support learners.
The Ministry said the measures are intended to improve school enrolment, retention and access to quality education in one of Kenya's most remote regions.
