This archive report was first published on 12 August 2019.
On August 12, 2019, the Kenyan government's investment in technical training institutions was a welcome move towards empowering the youth. The allocation of Sh16 billion annually over the past three years to equip existing institutions and construct new ones in every county was a significant step towards transforming the sector.
However, despite this investment, the colleges continue to suffer from underfunding, staff shortages, and negative perceptions. The government's efforts to push for a 100 per cent transition from primary to secondary schools have led to an increase in secondary school enrolment, but this has left a dire situation for those who do not qualify for university education.
The technical and vocational colleges are in a critical position, with only a handful of Form Four leavers applying to join them. The close to 1,000 TVET institutions in Kenya have an enrolment of only 275,000, with more than 60 per cent of whom are male. The colleges are also facing a severe teacher shortage, totalling about 5,000 out of a capacity of 8,000.
The government must actively popularise and make the colleges attractive to more students. This can be achieved by making presentations in schools, showing the kind of equipment in the colleges and the job opportunities available. The Big Four Agenda and the Vision 2030 are underpinned by the availability of a workforce with technical skills, making it essential for the government to push more students into the colleges and plug the teacher shortage.
