This archive report was first published on 19 December 2019.
On December 19, 2019, the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination results highlighted the need to invest in technical and vocational training institutions.
Out of 567,517 candidates, 81 percent scored mean grades of C and below, making them ineligible for university admission, which requires a minimum grade of C+.
However, the government has been increasing its investment in TVET, which can absorb those who fail to make it to university.
TVET institutions offer students a credible and more accessible alternative, with hundreds of them operating across the country.
They run diverse practical training programs that can be used by students to secure jobs or launch their own enterprises, including agribusiness, automotive engineering, and culinary arts.
The fees in TVETs are relatively more affordable compared to most university courses, with academic year fees reduced from Sh92,000 to Sh56,000 in 2018.
Students joining TVETs through the Kenya Universities and Colleges Placement Service (KUCCPS) are also eligible for a bursary of Sh30,000, besides funding from the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB).
Due to the previous neglect of TVETs, skills in certain professions have been scarce, and those occupying the fields are earning decent incomes.
The government, which increased its spending on TVETs to Sh25 billion in the 2018/19 fiscal year, should publicize the opportunities available for young people in the institutions.
Several high-profile instances have highlighted the missed opportunity for individuals and the country as a result of the skills gap that TVETs are best placed to address.
