New scheme of service for college tutors

Education Cabinet Secretary Amb. Amina Mohamed

Trainers in technical and vocational education and training institutions are set to join the public service.

A new scheme that seeks to boost their performance is undergoing the final review by the Public Service Commission (PSC) and will see the tutors leave the Teachers Service Commission.

According to Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed (pictured), the Ministry of Education has forwarded the payroll data to PSC and once the transfer of the function is effected, the National Treasury will be required to transfer the resources.

The technical and vocational education and training (TVET) instructors will have their own terms of service, unlike in the past when they were lumped together with their primary and secondary school colleagues.

Briefing the Deputy President William Ruto in his Karen office on Monday, TVET Principal Secretary Kevit Desai noted that apart from boosting the morale of the trainers, fees would also be reduced to boost student enrolment in the more than 130 colleges in the country.

“We are also in discussions with the Higher Education Loans Board so that they can come in and finance technical training education, the same way they do with universities,” said Mr Desai.

The PS said the new plan would see more than 2,000 new TVET trainers recruited to cater for the current shortfall and plan for future requirements when additional TVET institutions, which are still under construction, are completed.

Mr Ruto noted that by investing in technical training colleges, Kenya stands to move to a middle-income economy.

“Competency-based training is what this country has lacked for long. These colleges are going to address that gap,” said the DP.

Product quality

He asked the ministry to ensure that trainers’ capacity is also strengthened “so that the product quality is in tandem with the industry demands.”

On May 18 during a graduation ceremony at the Masai Technical Training Institute in Kajiado County, the Deputy President announced that technical colleges would reduce their fees by between 30 and 50 per cent to increase the student population