TVET Enrollment Nearly Doubles in Two Years, Government Report Reveals

TVET Enrollment Nearly Doubles in Two Years, Government Report Reveals.

A recent report from the Ministry of Education’s State Department of Technical, Vocational Education and Training (TVET) has highlighted a significant increase in enrollment in TVET institutions over the past two years, driven by enhanced funding and the establishment of new institutions.

The TVET Sub-Sector Report, released in October, detailed that enrollment in public TVET institutions grew from 297,505 in the 2021/2022 financial year to 345,387 in 2022/23, and further surged to 406,649 in 2023/24.

This marks a 36.7% rise in enrollment, with the figures excluding private technical institutions managed by other ministries and Vocational Training Centres (VTCs).

Factors Behind the Enrollment Growth

Several factors contributed to the sharp increase in enrollment, including:

• New Institutions and Expansion: The establishment of new Technical and Vocational Colleges (TVCs) and the expansion of existing TVET institutions increased capacity.
• Enhanced Funding: Additional resources for special needs TVET institutions and increased financial support overall played a key role.
• Financial Assistance Programs: Introduction of an annual capitation for eligible trainees and enhanced student loan and bursary disbursement further encouraged enrollment.
• Adoption of Open Distance Learning (ODeL): This flexible education model was adopted in TVET institutions to accommodate more students.

Increase in Accredited Institutions

The report also noted a rise in the number of accredited TVET institutions. From 2,271 institutions in the 2021/22 financial year, the number climbed to 2,401 in 2022/23 and reached 2,605 by the end of 2023/24.

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Of these, 251 institutions were under the Ministry of Education, with 230 fully operational while 21 were still under development.

Additionally, private institutions grew from 1,057 to 1,238 during the same period, comprising 1,128 TVCs and 110 VTCs, while 45 accredited institutions were managed by various ministries.

Enrollment trends in county-managed VTCs showed fluctuations. The number of VTCs increased from 1,137 in 2021/2022 to 1,281 in 2022/2023 but dropped to 1,222 in 2023/2024, mainly due to closures stemming from funding challenges.

Financial Implications on Enrollment and Capitation

The government’s annual capitation of Ksh30,000 per trainee, which started in the 2018/2019 financial year, significantly boosted TVET enrollment.

However, despite the increased number of trainees, the capitation budget remained static, resulting in a reduction in per-student funding.

The capitation amount per trainee decreased from Ksh17,258 (57%) in 2021/22 to Ksh13,000 (43%) in 2022/23, before slightly rising to Ksh14,000 (47%) in 2023/24.

The report highlighted that the TVET sub-sector faced a capitation deficit totaling Ksh14.66 billion over the reviewed period. The shortfall was broken down as follows:

• FY 2021/22: Ksh3.83 billion was not disbursed due to budget limitations.
• FY 2022/23: The deficit reached Ksh5.94 billion.
• FY 2023/24: A shortfall of Ksh4.90 billion persisted.

Summary

In conclusion, the growth in enrollment within public TVET institutions, alongside the increase in the number of accredited institutions, reflects the impact of ongoing efforts to expand technical and vocational education in the country.

However, challenges remain, particularly in funding adequacy and the sustainability of capitation, which need to be addressed to ensure the continued success and accessibility of TVET programs.

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TVET Institutions Data Overview

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