Last week, the Cabinet Secretary for Education expressed a bold vision: enrolling over two million trainees in technical and vocational education and training (TVET) institutions across the country.

This number, according to placement service KUCCPS, stood at slightly over 350,000 in 3023.

This ambition complements the ongoing rollout of the Competency-Based Education and Training (CBET) system, which introduces modular programmes and dual training models by January 2026.

The Modular Programme is designed to shorten the time it takes for trainees to receive accreditation, capping it at a maximum of three months per module.

On the other hand, the Dual Model, approved by the Cabinet, institutionalises practical industrial attachment, which will now constitute a significant portion of up to 70 per cent of training time, and will take place primarily in the industry.

But what does all this mean for Kenya’s development trajectory?

To appreciate its implications, we must first understand the systemic challenges we face. Historically, our education system has leaned heavily towards theory, often neglecting the practical side.

This imbalance has contributed to a glaring mismatch between the skills needed in the labour market and those our institutions produce.

In addition, for years, technical education was viewed as a last resort, discouraging enrolment and stifling its growth.

Now, as the world of work undergoes profound shifts and with global disruptions mounting, TVET reform is urgent. Climate change, for example, is not just an environmental issue; it is now a key driver of economic and social transformation.

Its impacts are already visible through prolonged droughts, erratic rainfall, rising temperatures, and increasing health and food security challenges.

As part of the solution, Kenya is “greening” the TVET curriculum by integrating sustainability and climate-responsive skills into training. This is not theoretical.

In this column, I have previously argued that integrating post-harvest loss and waste management into TVET curricula could significantly reduce food losses, currently over 50 per cent, and enhance food security while stimulating and promoting agro-industrial growth.

However, scaling up to two million trainees comes with challenges. One of the biggest is the availability and adequacy of industrial attachment spaces for practical learning.  

To address this, we must adopt innovative solutions. I have proposed, in this space, mechanisms such as leveraging social impact investments and climate finance to support industries that can absorb trainees for attachment.

Additionally, it will be imperative for all government-funded projects, from infrastructure to agriculture, to include mandatory provisions for technical trainee placements.

Ultimately, this ambitious enrolment target must be matched by a strong narrative and action centred on sustainability and relevance.  

The future of Kenya’s economy and indeed its environmental health hinges on a skilled, adaptive workforce.

With the right policies, partnerships, and political will, the two million TVET trainees can become a powerful force for rural and national transformation.

The writer is a UN global food systems youth leader, vocational and technical trainer, and communication consultant