TVET Enrolment More Than Doubles as Government Targets 2 Million Trainees.
The Government has announced plans to increase enrolment in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions to two million trainees as part of ongoing efforts to address youth unemployment, skills shortages and workforce development needs.
The target was disclosed by Deputy President Kithure Kindiki in a speech delivered on his behalf by Cabinet Secretary for Education Julius Ogamba during the opening of the Fourth International Research Conference at Kabete National Polytechnic.
According to the Deputy President, enrolment across TVET institutions has increased significantly since the current administration assumed office.
“When this administration assumed office, enrolment across TVET institutions stood at about 341,000 trainees. In less than three years, that number has risen to more than 718,000. We are working towards increasing the enrolment to two million,” Prof Kindiki stated.
The planned expansion forms part of the Government’s broader strategy to position technical and vocational training as a key driver of employment creation, industrial development and economic growth.
Cabinet Secretary Ogamba stated that the country’s education and training systems must increasingly focus on equipping learners with practical competencies aligned to evolving labour market requirements.
“We have resolved that we shall not be spectators in the global contest for skills. We have positioned ourselves as a supplier of talent, innovation and practical solutions, first to our own economy and thereafter to the wider world,” Mr Ogamba said.
The Government has indicated that growing demand for technical expertise in emerging sectors has informed the emphasis on TVET training. These sectors include renewable energy, climate action initiatives, e-mobility, digital technologies and other technology-driven industries.
Prof Kindiki noted that future economic competitiveness will increasingly depend on workforce capabilities rather than natural resource endowments.
“What lies ahead of us is a future of nations no longer competing on the strength of what lies beneath their soil, but on the skills, the resourcefulness and discipline of their people,” he stated.
The Deputy President further observed that advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI), automation and robotics are transforming labour markets globally, while transitions towards green economies are generating new employment opportunities requiring technical competencies.
“While advances in Artificial Intelligence, automation and robotics are rapidly disrupting traditional careers and reshaping labour markets, the global transition towards greener economies has created millions of sustainable employment opportunities,” Prof Kindiki said.
To support the planned expansion of TVET enrolment, the Government has undertaken investments in training infrastructure, recruited additional trainers and established technical institutions in various parts of the country.
The Government has also aligned training programmes with industry requirements, introduced the dual training model, operationalised the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) framework and invested in modern training equipment.
Prof Kindiki reported that education sector funding has increased substantially over the last three years.
“To enhance access to technical training, we have significantly reduced the cost of training. The government has further raised the budget allocated to the education sector from about Sh544 billion to over Sh702 billion,” he said.
The administration has additionally outlined measures aimed at strengthening the link between training and employment opportunities through innovation, enterprise development and industrial partnerships.
Mr Ogamba stated that Technical and Vocational Education and Training institutions are expected to play a greater role in commercialisation of research outputs and student innovations.
“Our Technical and Vocational Education and Training institutions have a unique opportunity to transform research findings and student innovations into commercially viable products, services and enterprises,” he said.
The Cabinet Secretary revealed that the Government is facilitating the establishment of cottage industries within TVET institutions to enable trainees to manufacture market-ready products, commercialise innovations and generate income.
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The Kenya Kwanza administration is also leveraging national development programmes to create employment opportunities for technically trained graduates. Among the initiatives cited was the Affordable Housing Programme, which is expected to generate demand for skilled artisans, including masons, plumbers, electricians, welders and carpenters.
“The programme is therefore far more than a housing intervention but also a training opportunity, an employment platform, a market for local materials and a stimulus to small enterprise,” Mr Ogamba stated.
The Government indicated that the expansion of Technical and Vocational Education and Training institutions remains central to its strategy for skills development, workforce preparedness and economic transformation.
TVET Enrolment More Than Doubles as Government Targets 2 Million Trainees.
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