1. Susan W. Ngure
Doctoral Student, School of Management: Edith Cowan University — Western Australia,
Email: s.ngure@ecu.edu.au; nguresusan@yahoo.com

2. Background
 This paper examines training and development
systems in the technical, industrial, vocational
education and training (TIVET).
 The paper is a response to challenges issued by the
Government of Kenya in two documents: the 2005
Kenya Educational Sector Support Program
(KESSP) and the Kenya Vision 2030.

3. TIVET’s objectives
Main objective: “the provision, promotion and
co-ordination of lifelong education, training
and research for Kenya’s sustainable
development”.
Four specific objectives are derived from the
main objective:
1. to provide increased training
opportunities for school leavers to enable
them to be self-supporting

4. Objectives
2. to develop practical skills and attitudes,
leading to income-generating activities
through salaried or self-employment
3. to provide technical knowledge and vocational
skills necessary for the growth of agriculture,
industry and commerce
4. to produce people who can apply scientific
knowledge to the solution of environmental
problems

5. Challenges faced by TIVET
Challenges addressed cover two aspects of training:
 relevance (relating to the poor quality of skills
produced by the training institutions and the
mismatch of those skills with those demanded by the
industry), and
 accessibility (relating to low funding levels and the
location of training institutions).
Other challenges include: poor coordination, inadequate
numbers of specialised personnel, poor methods of
training needs analysis and the use of obsolete tools and
equipment.

6. Justification
 Despite the above stated challenges the Kenya
Vision 2030 recognises TIVET as the driver of its
three economic anchors: science, technology and
innovation, that are expected to make Kenya a
middle-level industrialised country by 2030.
 The present status of TIVET suggests that there is
a need to carry out intensely focused planning on a
strictly regular basis to render the program more
responsive, flexible and accessible to the Kenyan
public and the industry.

7. Methodology
 This research paper examines whether the
entrenched problems and challenges experienced
in the TIVET program can indeed be addressed by
carrying out a more rigorous and comprehensive
training and development needs analysis
(T&DNA). The question addressed is:
 Will a comprehensive T&DNA lead to a more
responsive TIVET curriculum?

8. Methodology
 Semi-structured interviews were held with eight
TIVET trainers and four senior education officers
drawn from MoHEST and KIE.
 Observation was used in the institutions under study.
 Secondary data from government documents.
 Data was analysed by use of content analysis, a method
of analysis that seeks structures and consistencies in
qualitative data.
 Findings and discussions were presented using
descriptions and discussions.

9. Findings
Findings are consistent with those identified through
secondary data :
 inadequate numbers of trained personnel to
design, implement, monitor and evaluate the
TIVET program
 restricted methods of collecting data for T&DNA
 multiple and out-dated curricula and
uncoordinated providers
 poor accessibility due to unequal distribution of
training institutions
 Socio-political factors.

10. Discussion
T&DNA is divided into two parts: Training needs analysis
(TNA) and training objectives.
1) TNA is defined as “an ongoing process of gathering data to
determine what training needs exist so that training can be
developed to help the organisation accomplish its objectives”
A TNA is needed to:
 identify the specific areas that can be addressed by a
training program
 negotiate with management for support
 develop evaluation mechanisms or tests
 draw up a training budget and specify the expected
benefits of the training.

11. TNA questions
 Some of these questions which are pertinent both at
the organisational and the national level include:
 Why is a TNA necessary?
 How much does it cost to carry out a TNA?
 How is TNA perceived by the stakeholders?
 What are the qualifications of those carrying out the
TNA?
 When will the TNA process be completed?
 How will the TNA’s success be measured?

12. Methods of carrying out a TNA
 A combination of both objective (e.g. performance
standards) and subjective records usually produce
more reliable results (Wagonhurst, 2002).
 Four basic steps assist in identifying the duration and
the type of training
 gathering information—sufficient enough to identify
the organisation’s training needs. Achieved through
interviews, observations, questionnaires, surveys, perf
ormance appraisals, tests, document
reviews, assessment centres, focus group discussions
and advisory committees.

13. Methods of carrying out a TNA
 determining the needs that T&D can meet —because it
is not possible to correct all deficiencies through
training.
 recommending solutions to the organisation’s needs—
Need to determine if an existing program is sufficient
or if one needs to be designed
 developing a training proposal—by specifying the
training needs, the anticipated results, the type of
trainees, and the probable consequences if the training
activity does not take place.

14. Stakeholders in TIVET
 Book publishers and instructional materials
manufacturers
 Examination bodies e.g. KNEC, KASNEB
 Government bodies e.g. KIE, KESI and ministries
 Private sector associations e.g. KEPSA, KIM
 Local authorities
 Regulatory and professional bodies
 Training institutions (owners and managers)
 Macro stakeholders involved in
design, implementation and evaluation

15. Discussion
2) Training objectives, which are derived from
the results of a TNA.
 They give a comprehensive set of behavioural
traits that provide direction for the training
effort and for benchmarking the training
evaluation.
 Objectives can be based on the differences
between set performance standards and the
actual workplace performance after the
completion of training.

16. Discussion
Any gaps identified between the set criteria and the
ensuing behaviour will indicate deficiencies in the
training program.
Objectives are important for:
 the selection or designing of instructional
content, procedures and activities.
 evaluating or assessing the success of the
instruction.
 organising the student's efforts and activities for
the accomplishment of important instructional
intents.

17. Conclusion
Areas of TIVET that can benefit from a
comprehensive T&DNA include:
 designing a more responsive, relevant and current
program
 identifying the stakeholders, methods and areas of
collecting and analysing T&DNA
 negotiating government, international, social and
regional support
 identifying methods of training

18. Conclusion
 Other issues cannot be dealt with by a
T&DNA, and would require a multi-level
approach.
 These areas include: personnel issues, multiple
and out-dated curricula, uncoordinated
providers, obsolete and insufficient
equipment, socio-political impediments and the
unequal distribution of training institutions.
 In addition, the poor image of TIVET need
collaborative efforts from all stakeholders.

19. Final note
 If you do not know where you are going, any road
(wide, narrow, rough or smooth) will lead you there.
 Thank you