Govt officials under fire for harassing TVET principals

KUTVET Secretary General Kepher Oguwi (left) decries harassing of TVET principals

The Kenya Union of Technical and Vocational Education Training (KUTVET) has asked the government, through the State Department of TVET, to stop harassing trainers in vocational institutions, especially the principals.

In a recent interview with Education News, Union Secretary General Kepher Oguwi noted with concern the recent changes where a number of TVET Principals have decried being reassigned back to class to teach without any clear explanation

“That is a serious thing, and it has recently affected quite a good number of TVET Principals in the country who have been deployed back to class without any valid reason. The challenge we have is the office of the PS, which is not being advised properly by those on the ground. For such an action to take place it means that there is somebody there who is not doing the correct thing,” decried Oguwi.

Additionally, Oguwi urged the government, in collaboration with the Public Service Commission (PSC) and the State Department of TVET, to ensure proper training for individuals appointed as Principals and Deputy Principals in TVET institutions.

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“The sector so far has not been doing badly except for grey areas which have been overlooked and hence need some adjustments particularly when it comes to the issue of the management structure in these technical institutions. Our concern is there is no thorough vetting to those people who are being appointed as Principals and even deputies,” said Oguwi.

“You know if it has to be done well, there must be a panel even at the institutional level so that when opportunities arise, the advert is placed, those who qualify are called and invited and their competencies are assessed through interviews panels so that we can get the best person who can be able to manage the institution. The challenge we have is that the appointment is done directly by the PS and that’s why we find ourselves in the challenges we have now,” he added.

Oguwi condemned the recent decision to demote TVET heads back to classroom roles without warning or proper disciplinary procedures, stating that the union is currently addressing the cases of those affected.

According to the 2024 Economic Survey report, the number of trainers in the sector declined by 2.6 percent, from 6,465 in 2022 to 6,296 in 2023. Notably, the number of male and female PSC trainers dropped by 3.5 percent and 0.9 percent, respectively, in 2023.

By Roy Hezron

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