TVET Tutors Issue 21-Day Ultimatum Over Exams, Curricula and Medical Cover.
Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) tutors have issued the Ministry of Education with a 21-day ultimatum to address concerns relating to curriculum changes, student assessments, medical cover and the transfer of tutors.
The Kenya Union of Technical and Vocational Education Trainers (KUTVET), which represents approximately 7,000 members, said repeated attempts to engage the ministry on issues affecting training and the welfare of tutors had not resulted in a response.
KUTVET Secretary-General Kepher Oguwi said the union had exhausted established avenues of engagement and would convene a meeting to determine a strike date if the ministry does not initiate discussions within the three-week period.
“We are giving them an ultimatum of three weeks to call us to a meeting and address the gaps we are experiencing in TVETs. If they pass, we are going to call a strike,” Oguwi said.
TVET Curriculum Review
KUTVET called for a comprehensive review of the TVET curriculum, citing concerns over frequent curriculum changes and the alignment of training programmes with industry requirements.
The union said the curriculum had undergone four changes within three years, a development it said had created challenges for tutors and students.
Oguwi called for the establishment of a dedicated body comprising professionals from different fields within the TVET sector to oversee curriculum development and reviews.
He cited doctors, engineers, surveyors, accountants and managers working within the sector as professionals who could contribute to the development of TVET curricula.
“We have doctors, engineers, surveyors, accountants and managers in the TVET sector, and all these people can be instrumental in designing the correct curriculum,” he said.
Concerns Over CBET Assessments
The union also raised concerns over the administration of assessments under the Competency-Based Education and Training (CBET) system.
KUTVET said weaknesses in the examination process could affect the quality of assessment and the training of students.
Particular concern was raised over the transmission of examination papers to colleges through email.
According to the union, some institutions receive examination papers late, while colleges with large student populations face challenges in printing examination papers for thousands of candidates.
Oguwi said the assessment process required intervention to address the challenges affecting institutions and candidates.
He also raised concerns over the alignment between TVET training and labour-market requirements, stating that graduates who are not absorbed into the labour market would face difficulties if their training does not correspond with available employment opportunities.
Medical Cover Concerns
KUTVET further raised concerns over the Public Officers’ Medical Scheme Fund administered through the Social Health Authority (SHA).
The union said tutors had experienced instances where they were turned away from hospitals or denied treatment because of limitations associated with their medical cover.
“Our members are suffering. They flood our phones with calls and messages every day from hospitals where they are being turned away or denied treatment,” Oguwi said.
The union called for the government to address the reported gaps in medical coverage affecting TVET trainers.
Concerns Over Tutor Transfers
KUTVET also called for the streamlining of the transfer of TVET tutors and compliance with established procedures when transfers are initiated.
The union alleged that some principals were initiating transfers without following due process.
Oguwi said tutors should be transferred through established procedures, particularly in cases where the affected tutors had not requested transfers.
The union said the transfer issue formed part of broader concerns affecting the welfare and working conditions of TVET tutors.
21-Day Ultimatum
KUTVET said its engagement with the Ministry of Education had continued without a satisfactory response to the concerns raised by the union.
Union officials said their most recent engagement with the ministry had taken place approximately one month earlier, after which subsequent communication had not received a response.
Oguwi said the union had attempted to pursue peaceful engagement with the ministry before issuing the ultimatum.
“We have tried to engage the minister. We have tried to follow the peaceful pathway, which has failed. They have ignored, hence our 21-day ultimatum,” he said.
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The union said failure by the Ministry of Education to convene discussions within 21 days would result in a meeting being called to determine the date for industrial action.
The issues identified by KUTVET include review of the TVET curriculum, administration and transmission of examinations under CBET, medical cover under the Public Officers’ Medical Scheme Fund, and compliance with procedures governing the transfer of TVET tutors.
TVET Tutors Issue 21-Day Ultimatum Over Exams, Curricula and Medical Cover.
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