By January 2026, all technical vocational education and training (TVET) institutions will have fully transitioned to the competency-based education and training (CBET) curriculum, in a move designed to align skills development with labour market demands.
This was revealed during a stakeholders' forum held at the Kenya Coast Polytechnic in Mombasa, where TVET principals from the Coast region were informed about the ongoing reforms.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba said that this change is part of efforts to transform Kenya’s education landscape, ensuring that TVET graduates can compete both locally and globally.
“We do not need to waste learners’ time making them study common units that do not align with their career paths. You cannot tell me a mason must learn English just to be tested in it,” said Mr Ogamba, questioning the relevance of some general education requirements. “We were in China the other day, and with just an earpiece, we could communicate effectively. That is where we need to go.”
The CS emphasised that under the CBET curriculum, learners can master a skill in three months, after which they are awarded a certificate. This allows them to enter the job market more quickly, or return later to upskill. He said that the goal is to increase enrolment from the current 700,000 students to two million by the end of this year.
“Only 25 per cent of [2024 Form Four leavers] learners will join universities this year. The remaining 75 per cent will go to TVETs. We must reimagine how we deliver education and prove the impact of this model so that we can secure more funding,” said the CS.
The CBET curriculum was officially introduced in all public TVETs in May 2025. A total of 184 modular programmes have been approved by the TVET Authority and the Curriculum Development, Assessment and Certification Council, and 7,000 trainers are already enrolled on the programme.
The market-driven curriculum is flexible and structured into independent modules, allowing learners to attain full or partial qualifications at their own pace and according to their interests.
According to TVET Principal Secretary Dr Esther Muoria, the modular approach simplifies the learning process and recognises each learner’s capabilities.
“A student can now earn a certificate after completing one to six modules. Those capable of acquiring three skills, such as bricklaying, plastering, and finishing, can do so within three months,” she said. “This is not a reform for the TVET department alone. It is a national education revolution.”
Ms Muoria said that both A-grade and E-grade students are welcome under the new system, which has clearly defined entry and exit points.
Anthony Mwangi, an official at the TVET curriculum council, said that the transition will be complete by January 2026. Learners currently enrolled in TVETs will be guided through a phased conversion process.
“Those who are currently enrolled will continue with the current module system until November. New entrants will be advised to sit for specific papers in July, and November, then move fully into the new model next year,” he said.
Dr Bernard Isalambo, the chief technical education officer, said that the previous curriculum was unnecessarily complex and often left skilled learners without certification. “We must move away from the idea that a certificate equals competence. Many employers are now looking for practical skills, and that is what CBET is designed to deliver," he said.
The reforms align with Competency-Based Education (CBE), which is set to culminate in 2029 when the first CBE cohort transitions to tertiary institutions. The CBET model is seen as the next step in the CBE process, meaning institutions must be fully prepared. The government has also approved the dual training policy, which makes industry collaboration mandatory. TVET institutions are now expected to develop income-generating training centres in partnership with the private sector to ensure modern, practical training and revenue generation.
“We want CBET to become a hub for applied research, not just theory. Trainers must also be exposed to periodic industrial training. We cannot deliver relevant training with obsolete techniques,” said Dr Isalambo.
He said that the biggest challenge now is implementation, but that reforms are on track. “The curriculum has not changed in content; it has been restructured for relevance. From day one, trainees should move from classrooms to workshops. That’s how we build competence.”
CS Ogamba added that it, “is a national imperative. We are building bridges of opportunity. It is time to move from talk to action—sensitise, enrol, retain and skill.”
Each CBET module is aligned to national occupational standards and international benchmarks. They have defined entry and exit points, and recognise prior learning.
“This reform is not theoretical, it is already shaping a new generation of agile, competent, globally competitive graduates,” said Mr Mwangi. He added that the old system will phased out by November.
Those joining now will transition through bridging papers between July and November before fully converting to CBET in January. This transition is supported by the recently approved Dual Training Policy, which requires all TVETs to collaborate directly with industry partners to deliver practical, job-specific training. The policy recognises industries as both consumers and co-producers of skilled labour.
“TVETs must not teach with obsolete techniques. We need partnerships that create modern, income-generating training units that double as practical stations,” said CS Ogamba.
Dr Muoria said that the old curriculum was punitive and rigid. “We lost too many learners who had skills but failed exams due to irrelevant content. That is a waste of public funds and talent,” she said.
The government has also pledged to align TVET funding structures with the modular format and the shorter, skills-based training cycles.
“A system like this cannot be funded in the same way as traditional education. We are working on financing frameworks that reflect the structure and intent of CBET training,” said the CS.
