The Cabinet Secretary (CS) for Education, Ezekiel Machogu, has urged Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions to train in Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields that are pivotal to the country’s development aspirations.
The CS was speaking on Friday during 11th graduation ceremony for Nairobi Technical Training Institute where 2,600 graduands were awarded Diplomas and Certificates during this ceremony.
Machogu said the ministry acknowledges the need to develop and equip trainers with relevant skills as one of the critical components in the access of Technical and Vocational Education and Training.
“I’m cognizant of the indispensable role played by our highly qualified and motivated trainers. We are committed to initiate a TVET strategy that will continually enhance competencies of TVET trainers,” the CS said.
With the growing emphasis on TVET education in Kenya, the Ministry of Education plans to roll out strategies to improve the competencies of TVET trainers.
This will ensure that they acquire relevant content and pedagogical skills attached to technical and vocational training as the Ministry endeavours to redeem TVET as a dignified and respectable pathway to success.
Machogu said the ministry together with the development partners, has also started implementing dual training in TVET institutions to equip learners with hands-on industry required skills.
Nairobi Technical Training Institute is among the institutions that have implemented dual training in Automotive Mechatronics under the German Model of Dual Training, where the industry participates in selecting trainees.
This entails a rigorous learning programme where trainees are exposed to 50 percent of their training time in the industry doing practical and 50 percent on theory in their respective institutions.
This mode of training gives adequate exposure to trainees in modern technology in the automobile industry. It also ensures that there is no mismatch of skills between the industry and the skills trained in the TIVET institutions.
The Government is banking on the TVET Sub-sector to spur the country’s industrialization in the 2023/2024 financial budget; the Government increased the TVET education budget by allocating approximately Ksh. 28.3 billion.
The CS also pointed out that the government has employed 1,300 trainers more TVET trainers to close the gap of trainer and trainees; more will employ in the next financial year. It deployed 11 trainers to Nairobi TTI .
Nairobi TTI Chief Principal Dr Glory Mutungi commended the government for supporting the institute; she said the institute has embraced the Competency Based Education and Training which is geared towards producing competent, knowledgeable and innovative trainees for the competent market.
The institute’s administration requested the ministry to upgrade institute to a polytechnic to offer more to trainings.
By Obegi Malack
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