The Director General of the Technical and Vocational Education and Training Authority (TVETA), Dr Paul Machocho Wanyeki, has called for stronger collaboration among training institutions and sector regulators to accelerate the implementation of Competency-Based Education and Training (CBET) in Kenya.
Dr Wanyeki made the appeal during a two-day Principals' Quarterly Meeting held at the Kenya School of TVET, where he joined the Principal Secretary for Technical and Vocational Education and Training, Dr Esther Thaara Muoria, and other sector leaders to assess progress in CBET implementation and discuss strategies for improving skills development.
The meeting provided a platform for evaluating the transition to competency-based training, identifying institutional challenges and exploring ways of ensuring that technical training institutions produce graduates with practical skills that respond to labour market needs.
In his first major engagement with sector stakeholders since assuming office, Dr Wanyeki acknowledged the continued support of the Principal Secretary and commended her leadership in advancing reforms within the TVET sector.
He urged principals of public Technical and Vocational Colleges (TVCs), National Polytechnics and other stakeholders to work closely with TVETA in strengthening regulatory compliance, quality assurance and the overall delivery of technical training.
He emphasised that effective regulation cannot be achieved through enforcement alone but requires sustained partnerships between the authority, training institutions and other agencies responsible for curriculum development, assessment and certification.
The Director General noted that collaboration would be critical in addressing implementation challenges and ensuring that institutions maintain the required standards as Kenya expands its competency-based training agenda.
CBET implementation under review
During the meeting, TVETA Assistant Director for Standards Development Paul Mureithi presented a report outlining the status of CBET implementation across the TVET sector.
The presentation examined regulatory standards, institutional accreditation, compliance levels, emerging implementation gaps and proposed interventions to address challenges affecting the transition.
Institutional leaders and representatives of sector agencies subsequently discussed the progress made so far, highlighting areas requiring additional attention to ensure the successful adoption of competency-based training.
The discussions also focused on strengthening institutional capacity, improving quality assurance mechanisms and ensuring that training programmes remain aligned with changing industry requirements.
The implementation of CBET represents a major shift in Kenya's technical and vocational education system, moving training towards the practical demonstration of occupational competencies rather than placing excessive emphasis on theoretical knowledge.
Under the model, trainees are expected to demonstrate that they can perform specific tasks and apply the knowledge and skills acquired during training.
This approach is particularly important in preparing young people for employment, self-employment and entrepreneurship in an increasingly competitive economy.
It also provides an opportunity to address the persistent mismatch between the skills acquired in training institutions and those demanded by employers.
However, successful implementation requires properly equipped workshops, qualified trainers, adequate learning resources, effective assessment systems and strong partnerships with industry.
Training institutions must also ensure that their programmes meet established standards and that trainees acquire competencies relevant to their respective occupations.
Strengthening coordination across the TVET sector
The meeting brought together key institutions responsible for regulating, coordinating and supporting technical and vocational training in Kenya.
Among those represented were the Director of CBET and the Director Generals of the Kenya National Qualifications Authority (KNQA), the TVET Curriculum Development, Assessment and Certification Council (TVET CDACC) and the Kenya School of TVET (KSTVET).
Principals of public Technical and Vocational Colleges and National Polytechnics also participated in the deliberations.
Their involvement underscored the importance of coordination among institutions responsible for training standards, qualifications, curriculum development, assessment, certification and trainer capacity development.
As Kenya continues expanding access to technical and vocational education, the effectiveness of these institutions will be critical in ensuring that increased enrolment translates into relevant skills, recognised qualifications and improved employment opportunities.
TVETA reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening regulatory standards, promoting institutional compliance and supporting training institutions to deliver quality-assured and industry-responsive programmes.
The broader objective is to build a strong TVET system capable of equipping Kenya's young population with the practical competencies needed to drive industrialisation, innovation, productivity and economic transformation.
The success of CBET will ultimately depend not only on policy decisions but also on how effectively regulators, principals, trainers, employers and other stakeholders work together to translate the reforms into practical outcomes.
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