A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE QUALITY OF TRAINING OF ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONICS TECHNICIANS IN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE TVET INSTITUTIONS IN KENYA: A CASE OF UASIN GISHU COUNTY

Abstract

The goals of education in Kenya are usually concerned with access to quality education and training. Recent trends in Kenya have shown a large number of private sector institutions being registered to provide technician training. This study sought to compare the quality of training of electrical technicians in public and private TVET institutions with the aim of unearthing the reasons for the discrimination experienced by the private TVET graduates in the job market and the alleged poor training in private TVET institutions. The study sampled six TVET institutions and eight industries in Uasin Gishu County for data collection. Probability, purposive and snowball sampling methods were used to sample and survey the key stakeholders during data collection. Examination results of the groups in Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) were also analyzed. Data was collected through questionnaires, personal interviews and observations and analyzed using the One-Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Independent Sample t-test at 0.05 significant levels. Analysis of results from KNEC examinations revealed that the mean scores of Electrical and Electronics subjects were found to be significantly higher in public institutions than in private TVET institutions. Analysis showed performance is better in public than private TVET institution and that infrastructure, lecturer‟s classroom performances and motivation of the lecturers affected the performance of the technician. Based on these findings, linkages between training and employment, which are key areas to the development of any nation, should be linked in all skilled areas and especially in Electrical and Electronics Engineering. This will enable the TVET institutions to train the relevant skills and expertise which are needed in the job market. The study further recommended the strengthening of public-private partnership between TVET institutions and the labour market in the training of Electrical technicians. The study also strongly recommended to the quality assurance department in the Ministry of Education Science and Technology to make a thorough audit of the existing TVET institutions as well as regulate the accreditation of new ones.