This archive report was first published on 29 September 2019.
Published on September 29, 2019, a survey on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions has shed light on the low number of female students enrolling in engineering programmes.
Conducted in 30 vocational training centres across 12 counties, the survey found that out of 3,183 students enrolled in different TVET courses, 1,922 (60 per cent) were male students, while 1,026 were female.
The report, 'Technical and Vocational Education and Training: Understanding the Landscape', highlighted a significant gender disparity in course selection, with male-oriented courses such as building technology, metal processing, and carpentry receiving no female enrollments.
On the other hand, fashion and design, hairdressing, and beauty therapy were predominantly female courses, with 176 out of 179 students enrolled in fashion and design being female.
The government has implemented initiatives, such as the Female Engineering Sponsorship Programme, to increase female enrollment in engineering courses. However, the programme has only supported 270 girls with full scholarships in the past 12 years.
National Industrial Training Authority (Nita) Apprenticeships and Indentured Leadership Coordinator Gipson Ndwiga attributed the low female enrollment to stereotypes, stating, 'Women have always believed that engineering fields are for men.'
The survey also exposed the deplorable conditions of TVET institutions, including a lack of basic infrastructure, modern training equipment, and low student esteem.
