Increase resource allocation for TVET institutions

?Vehicle assembling at Kenya Vehicle Manufacturers.

Enhancing the resources of Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions in Kenya is essential in achieving our development goals as envisioned in the Big Four Agenda, Vision 2030 and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 4 on access to quality education and 8 on decent work and economic growth.

Whereas TVET institutions have struggled to ensure that graduates fit in the labour market, employers have often expressed dissatisfaction on the performance of the trainees. The result is a ‘skills gap’ resulting in high youth unemployment rates, due to low rates of employability.

The devolution of TVET institutions has seen a significant increase in the number of trainees joining vocational training centres. In return, this has led to a corresponding need for increased resource allocation to enable them to produce good quality skilled labour that can meet current and future market demands.

KAM CEO, Ms Phyllis Wakiaga says that public-private partnerships are vital in enhancing the TVET agenda in the country.

“At KAM we are keen on ensuring youth’s participation in our country's development. This includes working closely with our membership to provide learning opportunities for TVET graduates, both through internships and apprenticeships for work-based learning. Our partnership with the German Development Cooperation has seen more than 40% of the project graduates successfully transition from internships into jobs. To ensure the sustainability of existing interventions, there is the need for cohesion between public and private partners” noted Ms Wakiaga.

She added that increased resource allocation for TVET institutions shall improve their capacity to provide good quality training, through the purchase of modern technology training equipment and investing in continuous professional development for trainers.

“TVET institutions need to consistently upskill their trainers to meet industry’s ever-evolving needs, especially now that the 4^th Industrial Revolution is taking shape. To meet the skills demand, trainers need to be up to date with the industry’s skills requirements hence the need for them to be empowered. This includes encouraging trainers to embrace new technologies, modern machinery and innovations, providing opportunities for the trainers to interact regularly with the labour market through internships and industry exchange learning forums as well as curriculum review, based on industry standards," added Ms Wakiaga.

Through the TVET program, KAM has built the capacities of technical trainers from public and private institutions and shall continue to link them with industry for learning and knowledge exchange.