Principal Secretary for Technical, Vocational Education and Training (TVET), Dr Esther Thaara Muoria, has told State Department officials on TVET institution boards to be better informed and accountable for results. She said institutional oversight must improve so that government investment translates into benefits for trainees, employers and the economy.
Muoria spoke at an engagement with PS Alternates and Regional and County Directors. The State Department stressed the need for clear policy direction, effective supervision and institutional decisions aligned with government priorities and the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).
The engagement highlighted the duty of officials who represent the Office of the Principal Secretary on TVET institutional boards. They are expected to show informed leadership, understand the sector's mandate and remain accountable for results.
The State Department said governance must go beyond attending board meetings and approving administrative decisions. Officials should understand the challenges facing their colleges, scrutinise performance, monitor the use of public resources, and ensure management decisions improve training quality. Oversight should cover financial management, infrastructure, staffing, equipment, student welfare and the quality of training.
A key priority is assessing whether trainers can deliver the Competency-Based Education and Training (CBET) curriculum effectively. The approach puts more emphasis on practical skills, workplace readiness and learners' ability to show what they can do.
The State Department said trainers need technical expertise, teaching skills and industry exposure, and institutions need suitable workshops, modern equipment and learning materials. It said trainers need continuous professional development as technology and workplace standards change.
Boards and management teams should identify gaps in trainer capacity and address them through targeted training, industry partnerships and investment in facilities.
The State Department said the value of technical education depends on whether graduates acquire skills that employers need. It said closer collaboration between colleges and industry can help align programmes with labour-market demand, give trainees workplace exposure and ease the move from training to employment. It also said the sector should equip graduates with business skills so that they can start enterprises.
The State Department has identified capacity building, continuous learning and informed oversight as priorities for officials who supervise TVET institutions. It said PS alternates and Regional and County Directors must understand the institutions under their oversight, including their performance, operational challenges and development priorities, and be able to interpret institutional reports and assess whether training programmes are delivering the expected results.
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