Ministry targets 2 million Tvet trainees by 2027

The Ministry of Education is targeting the recruitment of two million trainees into Technical and Vocational Education and Training (Tvet) institutions over the next year. 

Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba said plans were underway to place the two million trainees in technical institutions by 2027. 

Speaking yesterday at the 20th graduation ceremony of the Eldoret National Polytechnic, Ogamba said a framework to equip at least 70 TVET institutions with state-of-the-art training equipment had already been developed. 

“Under the ministry’s reform agenda, we have set an ambitious target: enrolling over two million trainees by 2027. To reach this goal, we are expanding access by building more TVET institutions across the country and ensuring equitable distribution,” Ogamba said. 

He added that the expanded intake was aimed at producing a workforce with the skills needed both locally and in international job markets. 

According to the CS, more than 1,000 hostels are currently under construction across the country to accommodate the expected surge in student numbers. 

“The 2,000 trainers we have just deployed are proof of that, as is the plan to recruit more. The upgrading of TTIs into national polytechnics shows our long-term commitment. TVET plays a crucial role in the bottom-up economic agenda, and I call upon institutions to deliver quality training by updating their equipment,” he said. 

Ogamba further noted, “We are reforming the TVET system to align it with industry demands. We are partnering with government projects to match available skills.” 

The Eldoret National Polytechnic used the 2025 graduation ceremony to mark its 40th anniversary. 

Chief Principal of the Eldoret National Polytechnic, Dr Charles Koech, said the institution was celebrating significant milestones achieved over four decades. 

“Our infrastructural expansion, academic diversification, and enhanced training capabilities have firmly placed us on the national map as a leader in technical and vocational training,” Dr Kech said. 

A total of 3,619 trainees graduated yesterday. 

Our trainer population has grown significantly and now comprises committed, highly skilled, and professionally qualified staff,” Dr Koech said. 

He added that the institution continued to benchmark with international institutions to adopt global best practices. 

“One of our most powerful platforms for academic advancement has been the Annual International Research Conference, which has grown steadily and now attracts scholars, innovators, and practitioners from various countries,” he said. 

Chair of the governing council, Dr Paul Murgor, appealed for support to develop more laboratories, workshops, and learning spaces to meet current and future demand.