- Technical and Vocational Education and Training institutions have been warned against underutilising equipment, weak governance and poor financial management.
- Principal Secretary Dr. Esther Muoria says boards must focus on governance while principals manage institutions.
- She has urged TVETs to strengthen financial sustainability and improve graduate quality through accountable leadership.
Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions have been put on notice over the underutilisation of training equipment, weak governance and financial instability.
Speaking during a leadership forum for governing council chairpersons, board members and principals of public TVET institutions on Monday, July 6, Principal Secretary for Technical and Vocational Education and Training Dr. Esther Muoria warned that institutions would be held accountable for poor governance, misuse of public resources and underperformance.
“The State Department will continue to support institutions that demonstrate innovation, accountability and excellence. At the same time, we shall not hesitate to hold accountable institutions whose governance is weak, whose public resources are mismanaged or whose performance remains below expectation,” she said.
Clear separation of roles
Addressing governing councils, Muoria emphasised that boards are responsible for governance and strategic oversight rather than the day-to-day management of institutions.
“You are appointed to provide strategic direction, ensure accountability, safeguard public resources, oversee risks, approve policy, monitor performance and protect the long-term interests of your institutions. The principal manages the institution. The Board governs the institution. Those roles must never be confused,” she said.
She cautioned that governance suffers when boards fail to discharge their responsibilities or when management resists oversight.
The PS also urged governing councils to uphold integrity by avoiding conflicts of interest and ensuring procurement processes remain transparent and objective.
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Muoria challenged principals to understand every aspect of their institutions’ operations, saying effective leadership must be informed by accurate data.
“You should know your workshop utilisation rates. You should know your equipment status. You should know your trainer competencies. You should know your graduate employment outcomes. You should know the performance of your income-generating activities. You should know your institutional risks,” she said.
The Principal Secretary also called on TVET institutions to reduce overdependence on government funding by strengthening income-generating activities and improving operational efficiency.
She described financial resilience as a key leadership responsibility.
Focus on graduate quality
Muoria stressed that the ultimate measure of any TVET institution is the quality of its graduates.
She said institutions should produce competent graduates who are trusted by employers while also equipping learners with entrepreneurial skills to create employment opportunities.
“Every Board meeting and every management meeting should therefore ask one fundamental question: Are we improving the quality of our graduates? If the answer is no, then nothing else we discuss matters,” she said.
She concluded by urging TVET leaders to work together in building institutions that are globally competitive, financially sustainable and responsive to Kenya’s development aspirations.
“Leadership should be measured by results, not titles, meetings or reports. Its true measure lies in the competence of our graduates, the confidence of employers, the strength of our institutions and the value TVETs create for the nation,” she said.
By Frank Mugwe
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