This archive report was first published on 16 June 2020.
Kenya's Education Chief Administrative Secretary, Zack Kinuthia, has revealed that the government will no longer admit primary and secondary school dropouts into Technical and Vocational Training (Tvet) institutions, starting from the 2020/21 financial year.
This directive is aimed at boosting the post-primary 100% transition strategy, which targets to have at least 200,000 Form Four leavers join public Tvet institutions annually.
Speaking in Murang'a county, Kinuthia announced that the government will launch a crackdown on any Tvet institution that admits school dropouts or Standard Eight graduates, with an amnesty window for those who had dropped out or sat for the KCPE exams before the policy came into effect.
The decision is based on the new curriculum, which has upgraded compulsory education from primary to secondary education.
According to Kinuthia, KCPE certificate holders found pursuing Tvet courses will be forced to withdraw and join secondary schools, regardless of their marks.
The government has also finalised the placement of 2020 university intakes and is preparing for a post-Covid-19 life in the education sector.
Additionally, the government plans to heavily subsidise courses in Tvet institutions and expand infrastructure, with bursaries to be issued to students, including Ksh15,000 annually for vocational training and Ksh30,000 per head for national polytechnics.
