Overcoming Challenges Arising from Online Training in TVET Institutions in Kenya

The Covid-19 disease has significantly disrupted the education sector, a critical determinant of a country’s economic future. To curb the spread of Covid-19 in Kenya, the closure of schools, social distancing among other measures proposed by WHO, immensely affected teaching and learning methods. As a result, most Kenyan institutions, including the TVET institutions, have adopted online training as a new approach to teaching and learning. The objective of this study is to determine the challenges as well as the opportunities and offer possible solutions to the challenges arising from online training. Data was collected from five TVET institutions in Meru County. Our target population was 400 trainees and 50 trainers. 293 trainees and 34 trainers responded. We employed a random sampling method using questionnaires. The research highlights major challenges such as lack of a national and comprehensive digital training policy framework, Limitations of the internet in some parts of the country, Quality Assurance concerns, Socioeconomic factors, Students’ lack of self-motivation and reduced face-to-face student support. However, the opportunities that arise from online training outweigh the challenges. Some of the opportunities realized from our research are: Trainers and learners gain experience using web-based tools and technologies, efficient time management, extended geographical access to education by enabling lessons to be conducted on a remote location, need for more physical facilities especially classrooms interactivity between teachers and learners, online training offers a combination of education with work and many more opportunities as discussed in the paper. From our results, online training has been positively embraced by the majority of trainees and trainers though with some challenges. Additionally, our study shows that majority of the trainers and trainees did not use online training before the Covid-19 pandemic. From the analysis of our results, we recommend online training as an alternative to face-to-face training in TVET institutions during this Covid-19 pandemic period and post Covid-19 in Kenya. The results of our study have been presented using tables and graphs.