Wote: The government intends to equip youths with the requisite skills to enable them to join the existing workforce within the shortest time possible. Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) PS Dr. Esther Muoria has said this will be achieved through the Competency-Based Education Training (CBET) Modularized Curriculum, where learners will now be assessed in standalone units of competence across all Technical Training Institutions in the country.

According to Kenya News Agency, the youths will therefore be required to proceed directly to workshops upon arriving at training institutions, so they can avoid being taught basic common units and theory, which usually delay employment. “We want the youths to be trained from one unit to another. That is how we are going to train them until they become competent and confident,” Dr. Muoria said during the Northern Region CBET Modularization Curriculum Sensitization Forum at Wote Technical Training Institute.

Dr. Muoria emphasized the goal of qualifying learners after three months, ensuring they possess skills that enable them to join the workforce within a short period. Participants at the training, which was also attended by several heads of department and principals from technical institutions, were drawn from Garissa, Wajir, Makueni, Kitui, Machakos, and Mandera counties.

At the same time, the PS lamented that under the current training approach, many youths were delayed from gaining employment because competency was only assessed at the end of long programs, when learners are awarded diplomas or certificates. “Before, there was focus on basic units at the expense of core competencies. Competency was only assessed at the end of long programs, delaying certification and employment of the learners,” she reiterated.

Modularization offers a training pathway aligned with labour market needs, enhances the capacity of trainers and institutions in CBET delivery, and gives learners opportunities to enter and re-enter training with recognized skills. In another development, Dr. Muoria said the government aims to increase enrolment in all training institutions to 2.5 million by the end of the year.

“We intend to have enrolment in our technical training institutes increased to 2.5 million. We shall use the National Government Administrative Officers, who know where the people are,” she said. She therefore directed all training institutions to submit quarterly reports on the progress of their enrolment status.

During the event, the PS further urged all training institutions to be innovative and look for income-generating projects to avoid overdependence on the exchequer.