The Kenyan Government has introduced a standardised annual fee of KSh 67,189 for all Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programmes across public institutions nationwide, marking a major reform aimed at making skills training more predictable, equitable and accessible.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba announced the policy on March 4, 2026, during a joint press conference with officials from the State Department for TVET and the Technical and Vocational Education and Training Authority (TVETA). The fee, which is inclusive of all assessment charges previously charged separately by examining bodies, will take effect from May 2026 at the start of the new academic year.
“This standardised fee replaces the patchwork of varying charges that students and parents have had to navigate for years,” CS Ogamba said. “We listened carefully during nationwide consultations with TVET principals, students, parents, industry players and examining bodies. The consensus was clear: unpredictable and sometimes exorbitant fees were locking many young people out of skills training. A single, transparent fee levels the playing field and lets students focus on learning rather than fundraising.”
The KSh 67,189 figure applies uniformly to every TVET programme—certificate, artisan, diploma and higher diploma—regardless of duration, institution or discipline. It covers tuition, examination/assessment fees, registration, student identity cards and other mandatory institutional charges. Accommodation, food, personal protective equipment, project materials and transport remain the responsibility of the student or sponsor.
The CS emphasised that the reform is part of a deliberate strategy to expand TVET enrolment from the current 600,000 learners to 1.5 million by 2030, in line with the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda and Vision 2030. “Skills training is the engine of industrialisation, job creation and economic inclusion,” Ogamba stated. “By fixing the fee at KSh 67,189, we send a clear signal to parents, guardians and youth: TVET is affordable, predictable and directly linked to employment opportunities.”
The new fee structure eliminates separate payments to examining bodies such as CDACC, TVET-CDACC, KNEC and NITA. All assessment charges are now embedded in the single annual amount and will be remitted by institutions to the examining bodies through a central pool managed by the TVET Authority. This is expected to reduce administrative costs, curb hidden levies and ensure examining bodies receive timely funding.
Stakeholders who participated in the consultative forums welcomed the uniformity but raised implementation concerns. Principals of rural TVET institutions warned that the fixed fee may not cover the real cost of delivering practical, equipment-intensive courses in remote areas where transport and maintenance costs are higher. “We support one fee for fairness, but the government must provide adequate capitation for utilities, equipment upkeep and workshop consumables,” said one principal from Turkana County.
The Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA) and the Federation of Kenya Employers (FKE) endorsed the reform, describing it as a critical step toward making TVET more attractive to industry. “Predictable fees help employers plan internships and apprenticeships,” a KEPSA spokesperson said. “When training costs are transparent and reasonable, companies are more willing to sponsor students and absorb graduates.”
CS Ogamba assured institutions that the fee level was determined through actuarial analysis and benchmarking against regional peers. “We have built in a modest buffer for inflation and operational variations,” he explained. “Where genuine shortfalls are proven, the government will provide targeted support through the TVET Financing Board. No institution will be allowed to collapse or compromise quality because of this policy.”
The Ministry also announced complementary measures to support the transition: an expanded TVET capitation grant for needy students, increased bursaries through the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) TVET window, and a national campaign to promote technical and vocational pathways as viable alternatives to university education.
Parents and guardians have until April 30, 2026, to familiarise themselves with the new fee structure before the May intake. Institutions have been directed to update their fee statements and communicate clearly with prospective students.
The standardised fee is widely seen as one of the most significant reforms in TVET financing since the expansion of free primary and secondary education. If successfully implemented, it could dramatically increase enrolment, reduce dropout rates caused by fee shocks and produce a more skilled workforce aligned with Kenya’s industrialisation goals.
