Transforming Lives Through Skills: PS Muoria highlights bold reforms in TVET under Ruto’s administration

The Principal Secretary for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), Dr. Esther Muoria, has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to revolutionizing Kenya’s skills development ecosystem through a series of transformative reforms initiated under President William Ruto’s administration.

Speaking during a TV interview on KBC Channel 1 on Tuesday evening, Dr. Muoria stated that the State Department has made significant strides in repositioning TVETs as the cornerstone of Kenya’s socio-economic transformation.

“When I was appointed PS for TVET, I had a conversation with the technical officers that I found there and we agreed that we needed to position TVET to a space where we were going to be confident that we were and are transforming the lives of the young people,” she explained.

Dr. Muoria credited President Ruto for laying a solid foundation for the advancement of TVET. “The current President, while serving as Deputy President, initiated the bold move to establish a TVET institution in every constituency. Today, 240 constituencies already have operational TVETs, with just about 50 still pending,” stated the PS.

Competency-Based Training for a Competitive Workforce

The PS noted that since September 2023, Kenya has fully adopted Competency-Based Education and Training (CBET), moving away from a purely theory-based approach. “We want our young people to be competent and industry-ready,” she said. “We previously had a situation where the industry would recruit people and then go and train them again. For instance, I once went to Toyota Kenya and found them with a small school, where they were retraining those they have recruited,”

To further bridge the skills-industry gap, the Principal Secretary said Kenya has embraced a dual training model, similar to Germany’s successful 50-50 approach, where half of the training occurs in schools, and the other half in industry. “These young people are recruited and absorbed by the industry directly,” she added.

Recognition of Prior Learning

Emphasizing the critical role of the informal sector, Dr. Muoria revealed that the government has begun rolling out the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) Policy, which acknowledges and certifies skills acquired in the Jua Kali and MSME sectors. “We had people with skills but weren’t recognized. These people have been sustaining our economy,” she noted.

She announced the establishment of a dedicated RPL Directorate at Kabete National Polytechnic to oversee the implementation of this policy.

According to the PS, there is a growing interest in technical courses among Kenyans. She disclosed that student enrolment in TVET institutions has risen from 300,000 to over 700,000 during her tenure, indicating increasing trust and relevance of vocational education. Notably, she mentioned that over 10,000 university-eligible students chose TVET training this year.

“To our young people, come to us—we’ll provide you with a livelihood. With a skill, you will not go hungry,” Dr. Muoria urged. “You can start your own business, or find employment locally, regionally, or internationally.”

The PS expressed confidence in the current administration’s vision for development, stating, “I am persuaded that the government of President William Ruto is going to transform this country to the next level of development. We need skills to achieve this, just like Germany, South Korea, and others.”