Determinants of Efficiency in Skills Development at Technical, Vocational Education and Training Institutions in Kisii County, Kenya

Abstract

Training is an indispensable process that has potentialities to shape and determine the destiny of a country’s social-economic development agenda. Therefore, successful skills training and development programmes by Technical, Vocational Education and Training institutions are integral part of a dynamic labour force as well as a prerequisite for sustainable development. Research evidence demonstrate that there exists a positive correlation between the skills and competencies of the labour force and the long-term growth of productivity of a country’s economy. However, Technical, Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions in Kenya continue to face challenges of mitigating gaps in skills development process in order to respond to the changing labour market needs. Whereas several studies have focused on investment in the TVET sub sector, none of them have specifically demonstrated how problems facing Vocational Education and Training Centres influence efficiency in skills development in Kisii Country. It is believed that efficiency in skills development is basically dependent on a variety of educational inputs such as physical, material, human, and financial resources. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine determinants that influence efficiency in skills development at TVET in Kisii County. The specific objectives were to assess stakeholders’ perceptions towards TVET, to evaluate the extent to which an enabling delivery environment, to examine the influence of industry-training institutions linkage and to determine the influence of effectiveness in financing of TVET on efficiency in skills development at VETCs in Kisii County. A correlational research design was employed and data were collected from principals, instructors, and trainees in VETCs as well as county executive members of education, County Directors of Education, and school auditors. This design assisted in collection of data from the population using structured questionnaires, interviews, and document analysis guide. The total sample size was 317 participants. Qualitative and quantitative techniques were employed for data analysis. Results showed that there was a positive relationship between industrial attachment and efficiency in skills development. The implication of the study findings is that there is need is to address the problems facing vocational education and training centres. Therefore, County Government of Kisii and key stakeholders need to urgently institute necessary strategic policy and legal interventions in order to improve efficiency in skills development at VETCs. These measures will have a ripple effect on mitigating development challenges in the county in particular and the country at large. As a result, the fight against poverty, social inequality and unemployment will bear positive outcomes towards enhancing the community’s socio-economic development agenda as stipulated in Kenya Vision 2030, East Africa Vision 2050, and Sustainable Development Goals target by 2030.