NAIROBI, Kenya — Kenya’s efforts to modernise technical and vocational education and training (TVET) institutions have suffered a major blow after the African Development Bank (AfDB) withdrew Sh335 million from a flagship upgrade programme, citing persistent implementation delays.
The funding withdrawal threatens scholarships, training equipment and infrastructure development at a time when demand for technical skills is rising sharply, potentially slowing the country’s drive to boost youth employment through vocational training.
The programme, launched in 2015, was backed by an Sh7.2 billion commitment from the AfDB and was designed to modernise selected TVET institutions over five years.
Its objectives included upgrading workshops and hostels, supplying modern equipment, training instructors and providing scholarships to needy students.
However, the AfDB said prolonged bureaucratic bottlenecks derailed implementation, preventing the full utilisation of the funds.
“The red tape in the Ministry of Education, together with the National Treasury, was instrumental in the slowed processing of disbursements, leading to delayed contract execution,” the bank said in its project completion report.
According to the AfDB, the delays meant that the full UA 41 million (about Sh7.2 billion) allocation under the African Development Fund could not be absorbed within the project timeline, forcing the lender to cancel part of the financing.
While the programme recorded some gains, including the training of 544 tutors against a target of 600 and the award of 3,000 scholarships to students, key infrastructure targets were missed.
Only 10 out of the planned 33 institutions received fully equipped engineering and applied sciences workshops.
Two additional facilities were still under construction by the time the project closed, falling short of expectations.
The funding cut now raises concerns over the capacity of Kenya’s TVET sector to meet growing skills demand, especially in manufacturing, construction and emerging technical fields.
The AfDB warned that without fresh investment and improved project management, vocational institutions will remain under-equipped, undermining national efforts to align skills training with labour market needs.
