Vocational students’ struggle to learn practical skills

Final-year students at Kenya’s technical and vocational education and training institutions (TVETs) have been allowed to report back to school and sit for their exams, but they are concerned about their practical training.

Students told University World News they do not engage in any practical activities as they did before COVID and it is impossible to learn the skills they want to acquire anywhere else.

Dr Margaret Mwakima, principal secretary for TVETs in Kenya, has been hosting meetings to discuss pandemic measures with stakeholders. It was agreed earlier in the year that most institutions’ programmes cannot be presented effectively online, and require the tutor and students to be physically present.

TVET institutions in Kenya include technical training institutes, polytechnics, vocational training centres, technical training colleges and other approved learning institutions.

Several tutors and students confirmed to University World News how difficult it was to work through most of their courses online.

“I am taking a course in welding,” said Emmanuel Wanjala, a student at Kisumu Polytechnic. “While we can easily print out our teacher’s notes and read them at home or even have some online lessons, how are we supposed to carry out the practical aspect of it?”

Since students will be tested on this practical knowledge in their final examinations, “I would prefer having a teacher present physically during such lessons,” Wanjala said.

Recently, Wanjala opted to work at a carpentry shop near his home to gather some practical know-how. This helped him to continue learning as some institutions, including the polytechnic he attends, closed due to a rise in COVID cases.

An information and communication technology tutor at the same institution, and who prefers to remain anonymous, told University World News that online studies have been challenging, especially for students who cannot afford the required means.

“Some of the students lack computers that they can use at home, [or] cannot afford some of the expensive software that we use to teach them. The software is usually already installed on the school computers at the school’s expense, which means that having to study from home will force them to purchase their own [software],” said the tutor.

Employers such as Winnie Kerubo, who owns a tailoring shop in Nairobi, have also felt the restrictions of online-only learning. “I have two ladies whom I have employed at my shop, but they still don’t understand the techniques involved in tailoring,” she said.

“During the lockdown it was hard for them to learn anything, and I had to struggle doing most of the work on my own, since tailoring is an art that you have to perform practically to understand,” Kerubo told University World News.

Chrispine Otieno, an automotive engineering trainer at the Kenya Coast National Polytechnic (formerly the Mombasa Technical Training Institute), said that, while everyone was trying their best to adapt to online learning, most of their courses require physical learning.

“Doing the theory aspect of these programmes online is manageable, but practical lessons require the students to be present,” Otieno said.

“We try to manage by sending the students videos and notes as well as having online classes. However, when it comes to teaching certain topics, actual practical lessons will be required for the students to understand them clearly.”

Otieno said allowing the affected students to come back to school would give both tutors and students time to prepare for their practical lessons and exams.