By Peter Otuoro
Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions in the country are facing a shortage of 6,500 trainers.
State Department of Vocational and Technical Training Principal Secretary (PS) Dr. Margaret Mwakima said that the government is aware of the shortage and is trying its best to ensure more trainers are recruited.
“As the government, we are aware of the shortage of trainers facing our TVET institutions and we are putting everything in place to ensure we employ more trainers to train various trainees undertaking different courses in our TVET institutions,” said the PS.
Dr. Mwakima said the government will begin by employing over 3,000 trainers who will be recruited soon and posted in various TVETs across the country.
She said that out of the 3,000 trainers to be recruited by the Public Service Commission (PSC) 2,000 of them will be Degree holders while the rest will be Diploma holders.
Speaking at Nyandarua National Polytechnic during the first graduation ceremony held in the college’s compound, Dr. Mwakima said that the recruitment will curb the shortage.
She said among the trainers who will be considered in the recruitment are the ones who are currently employed by various governing councils of different TVET institutions in the country.
“We will consider the trainers who have been teaching in various TVET institutions all over the country under their respective governing councils. We request them to apply for the position immediately the PSC advertises,” she said.
The PS added that for many years the governing councils of various TVETs in the country have been spending a lot of funds on employee trainers.
Dr. Mwakima urged them to focus on the infrastructural development of their institutions as soon as government employs the trainers.
“We request TVET Principals and governing councils to begin shifting their focus towards infrastructural development and equipping all facilities within their institutions to ensure all trainees get adequate practical skills that fit in the current technical job market,” she said.
