TVET overhaul offers students a skills bridge to the market

Kenya has overhauled the technical and vocational education and training (TVET) curriculum, offering thousands of learners a critical lifeline to enrol in market-competitive courses. This also gives East Africa’s biggest economy a chance to increase technical talent to drive its economic transformation agenda.

Marking a watershed moment in the country’s pursuit of skilled workforce development, 151 competency-based curricula have already been approved.

For more than 700,000 students from the 2024 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination class, this transformation of technical education is a beacon of hope, as they will not have access to modern and industry-linked courses.

The 15-month intensive review process by the team led by education stalwart Dr David Mwangi, has changed the landscape of technical education in Kenya. This comprehensive reform represents the first unified training framework to be implemented across public and private TVET institutions nationwide.

The timing is particularly ideal, as 962,512 students completed their KCSE examinations in 2024, with more than 700,000 qualifying for TVET programmes. The new curricula span innovative fields such as renewable energy, robotics and digital technology, while also modernising traditional sectors like hospitality, automotive engineering and agribusiness.

STEM will thrive

In a bid to foster a skilled workforce, business courses, for instance, were to be phased out gradually within three years, according to a directive in December 2022 by the ministry of education to national polytechnics, TVET institutions and teacher training colleges, providing room for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) programmes to thrive.

The rationale behind this curriculum overhaul stems from the need to address the skills gap in the labour market. By focusing on competency-based education and training, or CBET, the reformed programmes focus on equipping youth with practical, industry-relevant skills. This approach aims to bridge the longstanding gap between academic qualifications and the first-hand competencies demanded by employers, setting a new standard for technical training across the country.

“We are aligning our courses with market demands and introducing new techniques that emphasise precision and finesse,” TVET Principal Secretary Dr Esther Muoria said at an induction forum for TVET principals and county directors at Thika Technical Training Institute, Kenya News Agency reported on 17 January 2025.

“Globally, we are seeing exceptional structures built with quality and finesse. If you have done tiling, you must be the best in that skill set. This is the standard we aim to achieve through our TVET institutions,” Muoria said, according to the news report.

The government’s commitment to accessible technical education is evident in its new Higher Education Financing (HEF) model.

Unveiled by former education cabinet secretary Ezekiel Machogu in July 2023, the scheme provides government scholarships covering up to 50% of costs, complemented by 30% in loans, with households contributing the remaining 20%. The cost per trainee has been significantly reduced to between US$518 and US$551 annually, making technical education more affordable for all.

More facilities, more trainers

On the infrastructure expansion front, the government has established 240 new TVET institutions nationwide. The expansion has been matched by substantial investment in human resources, with the government employing 3,000 TVET trainers in 2024, with plans for continued growth in the training workforce.

Early results are encouraging, with the Kenya Association of Manufacturers reporting that TVET graduate employment rates within six months of graduation have jumped from 45% in 2022 to 60% in 2024.

Students like Mary Nyamari, a hospitality student at Kenya Coast National Polytechnic, are optimistic about the reforms. She says the practical focus of the new curriculum enhances both engagement and career prospects.

The transformation encompasses comprehensive digital skills integration throughout the curriculum, while entrepreneurship training has been enhanced to foster job creation. Industry-specific competencies now form the core of each programme, complemented by soft skills development and an increased emphasis on practical, first-hand training.

Support for vulnerable students

In a move to ensure maximum participation, the government has announced plans to work closely with national government administrators to conduct a mop-up exercise, ensuring all form-four leavers not in college or university are enrolled in TVETs. The initiative includes strategic placement of students who scored less than C+ in TVETs closer to their homes, with additional funding support for vulnerable students.

“The new curricula ensure unified training across all public and private TVET institutions. This standardisation is crucial for maintaining quality and ensuring our graduates meet international standards,” Dr Kevit Desai, former principal secretary of the state department of TVET, emphasised.

The convergence of modern curricula, sustainable funding models and expanded infrastructure positions Kenya’s TVET sector for unprecedented growth. As Muoria noted, “This transformation ensures that our technical education system not only meets current industry demands, but also anticipates future workforce needs.”