We'll create an outfit to guide clergy training, says CS

PS, State Department for Technical, Vocational Education and Training, Esther Muoria at Bunge Towers, Nairobi, April 7, 2026. [Elvis Ogina, Standard] Technical, Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Principal Secretary Esther Muoria has said the government could consider an institution to regulate and train the clergy before they start practising. According to Dr Muoria, the body should have representatives from all religious faiths, like Christians, Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists, and would set training standards. "We want to make our pastors and bishops as professional as possible. We are talking about the religious space being professionalised. Allow us as a department to come up with a professional religious body encompassing all the religious institutions, which will then give us members to help us come up with the operating standards," she said. The PS noted that substantive legal and regulatory frameworks are necessary to govern accreditation, recognition and registration of theological education curricula. "In view of the foregoing, it is the State Department for TVET's considered view that the TVET Act Cap 210A and the KNQF Act Cap 214 provide substantive legal and regulatory frameworks," she told the National Assembly Public Petitions Committee during discussion on a petition on the enactment of legislation to regulate theological colleges. Muoria said the TVET Curriculum Development, Assessment and Certification Council has developed two Christian-based curricula and one Muslim-oriented, and assessed 810 candidates registered to pursue theological training. "With all due respect, when you look at some of these bishops, they don't look like bishops at all. I believe that we need to have operating standards that will tell us that these are the skills of a bishop." She said the existence of self-regulating professional organisations enables training that is linked to the respective sector needs. The PS explained that self-regulating organisations set occupational standards, monitor competence and maintain ethical practice among their members. On the other hand, governments oversee the regulatory bodies through laws to ensure that the self-regulating serves the public and not just the relevant professions. "The mandate for accrediting training institutions in Kenya is legally vested in the Technical and Vocational Education and Training Authority under the TVET Act, Cap 210A. Accreditation is executed in strict compliance with existing policies, laws and regulations and is immune to secular or non-secular orientations of the institutions being accredited," she said. The petition seeks to ensure there is a body to regulate the proliferation of theological colleges. Committee Vice Chairperson Janet Sitienei said the petitioners are concerned that some people break away from churches and form their own to become bishops, yet they have no training. In March, the Association of Pentecostal Vocational Training Institutions of Kenya filed the petition. The body representing more than 200 churches and theological training institutions raised concern over the rapid growth of theological colleges, bible schools and online ministry training platforms. They acknowledged that the expansion had increased access to theological education, but the absence of a regulatory body had created challenges in quality and standardisation. According to the PS, the functions of the authority include courses and programmes accreditation and inspection. She noted that the law bars individuals or institutions from offering training unless they have been accredited, licensed and registered. "It is noteworthy that 34 Christian-sponsored institutions are accredited by TVETA. Consequently, any institution offering training outside the realm of the TVET Act or any other lawful authority is operating unlawfully."

We'll create an outfit to guide clergy training, says CS

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