- KUTVET has issued a seven-day strike notice, threatening a boycott from October 2 over unresolved trainer grievances.
- The union has accused CDACC of insecure and inconsistent exam administration, undermining assessment credibility at TVET institutions.
- Trainers have demanded an end to poorly timed curriculum changes and improved medical cover under the Social Health Authority.
A strike is pending in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions after trainers gave the government a seven-day ultimatum to address their challenges, which they say have contributed to an increase in dropout rates.
The institution trainers say their attempts to secure a meeting with the Ministry of Education over their challenges have failed, prompting them to arrange a boycott starting from October 2.
Some of the issues the tutors want addressed include medical cover for trainers, unconsolidated transfers of trainers, TVET curricula and the administration of student assessments.
The Secretary-General of the Kenya Union of Technical and Vocational Education Trainers (KUTVET), Kepher Oguwi, said the union will only suspend the strike if the government fully addresses their issues to the letter.
The union members have raised concerns over the administration of examinations by the TVET sector’s assessment body, the Curriculum Development, Assessment and Certification Council (CDACC). The Secretary-General accused CDACC of transmitting examination papers by mail, which he says exposes assessments to security risks and results in the late reception of papers at some institutions.
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He added that some papers arrive before the designated time while others are received late, undermining the credibility of the assessment process. “It is a clear manifestation that CDACC is ill-equipped to administer the exams, meaning we do not have credible exams at TVET institutions as things stand now,” Mr Oguwi said, adding that the process had eroded student confidence, leading to dropouts.
The tutors also want the government to halt what they term poorly timed curriculum changes, saying that over the past three years there have been four major changes, causing confusion among students and trainers. The union official said the latest changes, referred to as “Circle Four,” were introduced after students had already reported for the new term. “We are saying no to Circle Four, and we will not accept it to be implemented, because you cannot bring a new curriculum when the students have already reported and expect it to be delivered properly,” he said.
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They are also demanding that the government streamline the transfer of trainers and ensure that established procedures are followed.
The union also raised concerns over their medical cover under the Public Officers Medical Scheme Fund, administered by the Social Health Authority (SHA), stating that some members have been denied treatment at hospitals due to limits on their medical cover.
By Lizzy Aluga
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