Technical and vocational education and training in Kenya

Kenya attained independence thirty nine years ago. Over this time, the Kenya Government through various commissions and sessional papers has reviewed its policies on education and training with a view of addressing the needs of its people and the national manpower development. The 1964 Kenya Education Commission, in response to the challenges facing vocational education in Kenya recommended the conversion of the then Government Trade Schools to Technical Secondary Schools to prepare graduates to enter Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) after graduating from secondary schools. By 1970, TVET in Kenya had expanded tremendously with many institutions countrywide providing post-secondary school technical training through community managed Harambee Institutes (Institutes of Technology). The word ‘Harambee’ is a kiswahili word meaning ‘let us pull together’. The Institutes of Technology provided vocational education and training for individual self-reliance. The 1970–1971 commission of inquiry highlighted the need for training to be managed under one umbrella body. This recommendation as records indicate was not implemented and therefore Vocational Education and Training in Kenya continues to be scattered under various Government Ministries and Parastatals. The 1981 Presidential Working Party on the Second University made three crucial recommendations in favour of Technical and Vocational Education and Training. The first recommendation was that the Second University should be a Technological University. The other recommendation was the need to expand vocational education in order to increase the training opportunities for the increasing school leavers and lastly the need to enrich the school curriculum with technical subjects. This led to the inclusion of vocational subjects at Primary and Secondary school curriculum and provision of advancement for the vocationally talented few. This has formed the basis of the current technical, vocational education and training in Kenya.

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