Nakuru County Government is revising its vocational training policy towards enhancing the skills and employability of the youth and aligning training programmes with the industry’s needs.
According to County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Education, ICT, e-Government, and Public Communication, Ms. Zipporah Wambui, the policy reforms aim at enhancing practical skills, improving job market readiness, and boosting the economy.
The CECM explained that the draft policy was being crafted to ensure the quality and relevance of vocational training in the county through measures such as accrediting trainers, assessing student competence, and promoting research in Technical Vocational Education Training institutes (TVET).
Ms. Wambui elaborated that the draft policy was being aligned with the broader national TVET framework, which aims to create a skilled and competent workforce by 2030 and that they were involving local businesses and industries to understand their training needs and ensure the relevance of the training programmes.
She said they were fine-tuning the draft policy in collaboration with the Directorate of Vocational Training, the Centre for Transformational Leadership (CTL), civil society organisations, and other stakeholders to come up with a document that fosters creativity and problem-solving abilities among students, with recognition that the skills are increasingly important in the modern workforce.
“This policy is aimed at ensuring good governance and quality service delivery in the vocational training institutions within the county,” Ms. Wambui added.
Key aspects of the draft policy, according to the CECM, include implementing the Competency-Based Education and Training (CBET) curriculum, upgrading infrastructure, and investing in training and development of instructors.
While acknowledging that TVET training was a devolved function, meaning that counties have greater responsibility for developing and implementing vocational training policies, the County official pointed out that the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) was designed to accelerate economic growth by investing in critical pillars that create employment for millions of skilled youths.
She said as the County government implements policies, programmes and projects which create jobs for the youth, there must be a simultaneous equipping of millions of young Kenyans with the education, training and skills necessary to enhance their productivity in a dynamic, globalised and competitive labour market.
While indicating that the draft policy was being designed to address the issue of skills mismatch, which could lead to unemployment among youth, by ensuring that training programmes are aligned with job market demands, Ms. Wambui said the document was providing for enhancement in investments in training and development of TVET instructors, particularly in new technologies and methodologies.
The CECM indicated that the draft policy was aligned with Governor Susan Kihika’s manifesto which focuses on inclusive and quality education to TVET students, which includes improving the quality and relevance of training programmes, addressing skill mismatches and promoting digitalisation within the system.
The goal, she added, was to create a more coordinated and harmonised vocational training system that produces skilled human resources aligned with the needs of various sectors.
Saying that there was a need to align TVET curricula with industry needs and standardise training standards, the CECM emphasised the need for regular curriculum audits to ensure they remain relevant and address emerging skills gaps.
She indicated that the draft policy was also pushing for the incorporation of industry partnerships and on-the-job training to ensure that TVET graduates have practical skills that are directly applicable to the workplace, adding that TVET programmes should be designed to not only prepare individuals for wage employment but also to equip them with the skills and knowledge needed to start and run their own businesses.
“The draft policy is also addressing the needs of those in the informal sector and those with disabilities, offering them opportunities to improve their skills and access formal recognition of their abilities,” Ms. Wambui elaborated.
The CECM who was flanked by the Executive Director of CTL, Ms. Bancy Kubutha, stated that the document is designed to support the country’s economic and development goals, as outlined in Vision 2030 and prioritises Competency-Based Education and Training (CBET), which focuses on skills and competencies rather than solely on academic qualifications.
The policy puts an emphasis on involving the private sector in TVET, with the aim of providing opportunities for internships and apprenticeships and empowering vocational educational training institutions to provide industry-responsive skills and hands-on training, aligning with national and international standards, Ms Wambui added.
The CECM voiced Governor Kihika’s commitment to working with other partners to boost investment in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions, adding that the growing enrollment in TVETS and polytechnics had been facilitated by initiatives that both levels of Government have been putting in place, including heavy investment in TVET infrastructure to stimulate economic growth and equity.
The CECM indicated that both the national and county governments have upgraded and equipped TVET institutions and polytechnics with state-of-the-art equipment and machinery to ensure Kenyans trained in TVET skills are globally competitive.
She emphasised the growing need for students to pursue technical education in light of the rising number of high school graduates in addition to the current shortage of skilled technicians in the country, urging students to explore technical fields that are critical to shaping Kenya’s healthcare and economic future.
Ms. Wambui pledged that the County administration was focusing on strengthening the ties between vocational training and industry needs as a way of addressing the critical issue of youth employability in Kenya.
Nakuru County has 24 youth polytechnics spread across the 11 sub-counties. According to the Technical Vocational Education and Training Authority (TVETA), there are two accredited public TVET institutions in the county, including the Dairy Training Institute in Naivasha and the Rift Valley Institute of Science and Technology in Njoro, and a total of 18 accredited private TVET institutions.
By Esther Mwangi
