By Marline Atieno
In a concerted effort to advance technical and vocational education and training (TVET) in Kenya, key stakeholders gathered for a pivotal breakfast meeting this morning.
The event took place at the Kabete National Polytechnic.
A delegation from Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Higher Education, currently studying Kenya’s dual TVET system, made a courtesy visit to Dr. Esther Muoria’s office.
It was presided over by the Cabinet Secretary for Education, Ezekiel Machogu and the Principal Secretary for the State Department of Vocational and Technical Training, Dr. Esther Muoria.
Attendees included government officials and key development partners.
The meeting brought together representatives from various sectors including industry leaders, education experts, policy makers and development partners.
The primary focus of the discussions was on enhancing the quality, accessibility and relevance of TVET programs to meet the evolving demands of the labour market.
The discussions focused on the necessity of establishing appropriate policy frameworks, standards and guidelines for the successful implementation of the dual TVET system.
Additional topics included the provisions of the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) policy, the Dual Training Policy and the Continuous Professional Development (CPD) framework for TVET trainers.
During the meeting, stakeholders also discussed several key issues including the integration of digital technologies in TVET, strategies for increasing enrolment and retention rates and the importance of continuous professional development for trainers.
The discussions also touched on funding mechanisms to support TVET institutions and students with a focus on creating sustainable models for financing.
These provide a strong foundation for work-based learning.
The delegation from Sierra Leone was led by Dr. Josephus Brimah, Chief Technical and Higher Education Officer, along with Abdul Abu-Bakarr Senesie, Director of Technical Education, the CEO of the Sierra Leone Chamber of Commerce and Abigael Stevens from the TVET Coalition.