The Cabinet Secretary for Education, Ambassador Amina Mohamed has appointed a Selection Panel to interview and recommend nominees to the Board of Trustees to the Technical and Vocational Education Training Funding Board (TVETFB).
The fund, established under The Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Act, 2013, provide funds to finance technical and vocation education institutions.
The Panel will be chaired by a former Chairman of Media Owners Association, Dr. Hannington Gaya.
Other members of the Panel are Ms Joan Machayo, representing the Public Service Commission, Mrs. Alice Mutai representing the Kenya Engineering Technology Registration Board, Mrs. Mutheu Kasanga representing Kenya Private Sector Alliance, and Mr. Patrick Obath, representing the Federation of Kenya Employers.
The Fund will be managed by a Board whose function is to disburse funds to institutions in accordance with criteria prescribed by the Cabinet Secretary, taking into account the respective institution’s output, efficiency and role in areas prioritized by the Government.
The Board is expected to, in consultation with the institutions, establish the maximum differentiated unit cost for the programmes offered and discipline differentiated remuneration for academic staff and advise the Government accordingly, and to receive funds for purposes of the Fund from the Government, donors, and from any other source.
It is also expected to provide advice on disbursement criteria for the Fund utilization.
The Government, through the Ministry of Education, has been expanding and modernizing Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions with a view to offering factory level training opportunities and skills to students joining Tertiary.
Since May 2018, student population in our TVET institutions has increased from 96,000 to 162,000 thousands.
“We expect the Selection Panel to expeditiously undertake its task as outlined in the TVET Act, 2013,” CS Amina said, adding that the government has made TVET education an urgent priority which it must deliver.
The Panel is expected to submit three names in the case of the Chairperson and nine names in case of the member from which the Cabinet Secretary shall appoint a Chairperson and six members, in accordance with the Act.
The Board consists of nine members whose membership include the Chairperson, the Principal Secretary in the Ministry responsible for technical and vocational education, the Principal Secretary in the Ministry responsible for finance and six members appointed by the Cabinet Secretary.
By Alice Gworo
