The Ministry of Education has issued a directive stopping Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions’ boards of governors (BOGs) from recruiting new staff without prior approval. This decision, outlined by Principal Secretary Dr. Esther Thaara Muoria, aims to manage the wage bill and ensure prudent resource use. However, it has sparked concerns about its impact on staffing and institutional autonomy.
The government is already working to deploy trainers to address staff shortages and allocate resources for development and learning materials. Despite these efforts, many TVET institutions still have staffing needs, prompting the hiring of new trainers and support staff. However, the Ministry now requires explicit approval for all new hires by Boards of Governors and Governing Councils.
Critics argue that this directive could worsen staff shortages by slowing down the hiring process and adding bureaucratic hurdles. This centralization of approval may also discourage potential applicants and limit institutions’ ability to respond to immediate staffing needs, potentially compromising education quality.
While financial oversight is crucial, the directive highlights issues of micromanagement within the education sector. A more collaborative approach involving input from TVET institutions could better balance financial control with operational efficiency.
The directive has been communicated to Chief Principals of National Polytechnics and Principals of Institutes of Science and Technology, Technical Training Institutes, and Technical Vocational Colleges across Kenya. The education community now watches closely to see how this policy will affect the sector.
