The State Department for Technical, Vocational Education and Training has an acute shortage of trainers currently standing at 5,417 teachers, a parliamentary committee heard.
Principal Secretary for State Department for TVET Esther Muhoria's told the Committee on Education and Research that the Public Service Commission has given them the approval to recruit 3,000 trainers costing Sh1.992 billion in the 2023/24 Financial Year.
“However, the State Department was allocated Sh720 million leaving a balance of Sh1.27 billion,” she said.
Muhoria was before the committee for consideration of the financial year 2023/2024 estimates of revenue and expenditure.
She said funding constraints under capitation, recruitment and promotion of trainers and lack of equipment in 70 newly completed institutions are key areas that require resources.
Muhoria said the State Department is currently negotiating with the People’s Republic of China and the Government of South Korea to get funding to equip institutions.
She said 51,250 TVET Higher Education Loans Board applicants have applied for funding, but there are no resources for them.
In her presentation, the PS said Sh15.2 billion is required to equip completed institutions and Sh2.095 billion for technical training financing.
She listed seven stalled projects in Lamu Mpeketoni, Saku, Ngeria, Gichugu, Sigor, Rabai and Wajir North.
The projects stalled due to funding challenges and security reasons.
Muhoria said the State Department has no pending bills or new projects.
State Department for Technical, Vocational Education and Training is mandated to undertake technical and vocational education policy development and management, Technical Vocational Education and Training; management of institutes of science and technology and management of national polytechnics.
