According to the Cabinet Secretary for Education, Ezekiel Machogu has revealed that more than 3,000 trainers of technical and vocational education have been promoted to various positions.
He revealed that 12 officers had been promoted to the position of chief principal officers, 317 to senior principal and vocational and technical trainer 1 job group ‘P’ while a further 1,373 will serve as principals of vocational and technical trainers.
1,027 officers will now serve as principal vocational technical trainers and 1,231 promoted to senior vocational and technical trainers and 309 will serve as assistant trainers.
However, trainers have requested that they are transferred back to the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) instead of the current Public Service Commission (PSC).
In another story, TSC is set to recruit four chief principals who shall serve in teachers’ training colleges after advertising on the same and inviting applications from suitably qualified teachers.
According to the Commission, applicants were required to have served as senior principals in T-Scale 14 for at least three years. In addition, applicants were also required to have a satisfactory rating in the performance appraisal and performance contracting process.
The applications were also required to meet the requirements of Chapter Six of the Kenyan Constitution and meet any other requirements deemed necessary by the Commission.
The application deadline will be set on the 31st of January, 2023.
Technical and vocational education training is an area that the Kenyan government has strived to improve with the allocation of additional investment. This is in a bid to raise the skill levels of the country’s workforce as the government intends to generate new economic opportunities, especially in areas outside major cities.
Among the challenges facing the sector is the quality of training available since many of the offered programmes do not provide the necessary skills on knowledge to students.
To solve this issue, the government has been working on ways of improving the quality of technical and vocational education and training across the country with the main focus being rural areas.
Investment in the quality of teaching, providing resources and training of trainers and educators has also been done as well as encouraging students to join technical and vocational courses.
The demand for skilled workers in areas like construction, engineering and IT is only likely to increase as the country develops and modernizes its economy.
Through promotion and investment in technical and vocational education and training the government is hoping to equip Kenyan workers with the requisite skills and knowledge that they need to succeed in these areas.
There are expectations that the investment will come in handy in boosting innovation and entrepreneurship, especially in areas where the system of education has traditionally been underserved.
The recent rounds of promotions give a clear indication that the government is making strides in the development of technical and vocational education and training. It is also clear to see the recognition of the role that these programmes play in driving the country’s future economic growth.