The Ministry of Education has introduced a new standard fee for students studying in public Technical and Vocational Education and Training institutions, setting the annual cost at KSh67,189.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos Ogamba announced the new fee on March 6 during the first graduation ceremony at Baringo National Polytechnic.
Ogamba said the move is meant to make technical training more affordable and ensure that students across the country pay similar fees regardless of the institution they attend.
“After holding discussions with stakeholders in the TVET sector, the government has agreed to standardise fees so that more students can access training opportunities,” he said.
The new amount will include assessment charges and will take effect from May 2026.
The announcement comes at a time when concerns have been raised over the rising cost of studying in public technical colleges. In recent months, some institutions have increased their charges, making TVET training more expensive for many families.
The Kenya Union of Technical and Vocational Education Trainers (KUTVET) recently warned that tuition fees in some colleges had risen sharply after the introduction of a modular curriculum in May 2025.
According to KUTVET Secretary General Kepher Ogwui, tuition fees in some institutions increased from about KSh56,000 to around KSh105,000 per year. The figure only covers tuition and does not include accommodation, tools, training materials or other student expenses.
“It has now become extremely difficult for the ordinary parent to keep a child in a technical institution,” Ogwui said earlier while raising concerns about the rising costs.
Currently, many students pay around KSh35,000 per term, and trainers say the total cost of training can go much higher once other expenses are included.