 Good morning once again and come back, I told you that we'd be back with the discussion about education today being World Education Day and we are going to discuss alternative education, alternative or complementary educations. No people are used to, what we are used to is 844, like 8 years in primary, 4 years in secondary, then 4 years in university. But now there are other ways that people can attain education without following that or people can maybe get a career or get a livelihood without going through this education system. My name is Sankaraka Esu and I'm not alone in studio. I am with the guest who are going to help me demystify or dissect this. One of them is called Beria Wawera and another is called Walter O'Donnelly both from Zizi Africa, the agonization that deal with education. So Wawera, how are you? I'm very fine, thank you. You are going to tell me more about yourself or tell me more about yourself now. Thank you, thank you so much. Thank you for giving us an opportunity to come and share about education here at your studios. We are grateful for that. We are from Zizi Africa Foundation, working with the TVETS space in the education sector. We are here to unfold and discuss further all that is coming in terms of alternatives of education and the TVETS space in general. More about your social media platforms. Alright, my social media, I'm only on Facebook as Beria Wawera and also LinkedIn as Beria Wawera. You look like a career lady. Yes, I have not explored social media so much but I'm getting there in time. Okay, nice. Walter? Good morning. My name is Walter O'Donnelly, a program officer at Zizi Africa. You can find me on social media platforms on Facebook as Walter O'Donnelly. On Instagram, Walter Waulment 1 and also on Twitter, which is the serious one. But you are more serious on Twitter. Yes, Walter Onyango 1. There's another guy in this studio called Walter. I'll tell you who he is after that. Yes, Walter is a serious name. My belief is that education is actually an equalizer so that's my tagline. Achieving greatness once a time. Yes, you guys look educated. You are here to advocate for the other alternative way of education. Did you go through that other way or you just went through the formal 844? Well, I went through the normal 844. And at my time, I'm not so old or younger but at the time there was no such advocacy as we have today as when we were learning about tibet otherwise that would have been my best solution to have though I went through a 844 and completed. So you are saying if you knew maybe there was somewhere where you could have gone through that. Yes. So you were going to talk to us about it. Yes. Walter, you also went through it. I would say mine is a mix of both because actually when we did our fong fo, the first thing our parents thought of was computer packages and that we did in tibet. After fong. Yes, and also driving school which is also done in tibet institutions. I believe I did a little bit of tibet because tibet is actually everything. Everything we do, the heart you are wearing, the seats you are sitting on, everything here is tibet. So I would say in one way or the other we went through tibet and also went through the formal 844. So mine has a complementary of both. I have not thought of that. Everything here is tibet. Okay. Now it's like some people are wondering what this tibet is. But here maybe you can help us explain what exactly is tibet. Yeah. So tibet in full I know most are wondering what is this tibet that you are talking about. Yes. So tibet is technical vocational education and training. Yes. So this vocational training in what we are discussing about. As my colleague Walter has said all this we are sitting on is tibet. There is someone who came in and built or made this seat we are sitting on. So these hands on skills we want to discuss and discuss more into it. Yes. Because tibet is about skills, hands on. Yes. So there are institutions that just teach this. Yes. What I will add also from what my colleague has said is that there are different levels of tibet. There is tibet at the lowest level which is run by the county government which is called the vocational training center. And this you don't really need to have any qualification as long as you have an idea and you want to learn. Because around 90% of the examination they do is practical and another 10% which is theory. Then the next step is the TTIs the technical training institutes which is now which is national. Then there is now the national polytechnic like Kabete National Polytechnics. Then we have at the highest level the technical universities like Tuk and Tum. KIMC is also a tibet institution. People feel that technical is only like manufacturing and all that but also the film industry. You guys having us here, the camera is all tibet. The tibet looks like what we are being told about CBC. That now people will go to class and maybe do exactly what they want to do or what they want to specialise in. From childhood so that they start specialising early. Will CBC now kill tibets? No actually CBC is a complementary because CBC is the foundation because that is where you are finding the learners now in school. Whatever they are understanding the knowledge they have and what they are being given as homework or take homes are the skills they need to apply. So those skills are the ones we are elevating to the tibet space now. Because wakenda kwa tibet that is where now they are able to actually use the same skills. If you are told to draw for instance as a homework in the CBC. Which is now the child is being given homework or assignments that they can work with the parents to nacha their skills. So those same skills are now elevated in the tibet. That child now at the tibet level is able to actually continue with the same skill they had and improve on them. So for instance if it's like the camera person who is taking us today. If that was their passion or that was their skill now they are able to enhance that as they move on. So tibet is CBC and tibet they are complementing each other. Is it complementing each other more than it for its doing? I would say there is CBC for the lower level which is the basic education. But then also there is CBC, competence based education and training. So we wouldn't say that CBC is going to kill tibet because there is also a CBC curriculum for tibet. So CBC is what will be the market pool for tibet institutions. And now before we had also like technical secondary where institutions had the normal lessons and then an additional cap entry or welding for the students which was dropped at some point. But then there are some institutions like Don Bosco Ambu that is still doing that. So as I think the CBC now is more focused on yes we will have the knowledge but also have the skills for people to learn. The issue for me with the CBC I think one, so not really an issue. One thing I think about CBC is that it's now bringing in the parent who had left their students to the teachers. Nyi nyi ndeni shule tutawonana for one month. But now the role of the parent is being enhanced to a way that the children and the parents are connecting. I had your discussion earlier and you were saying that there is no assessment. But you see that is what education had taught us before in Kenya that we only study for exams. So someone would be even in university so people were doing that. But you would not attend lectures but like ten days to exams you cram everything. So you only have the knowledge, the information but you can't apply it. But with that removal of exams you are now able to focus on what you really want. And then it's also a lot of pressure starting to assess students at this lower level. Just let them try and get their footing so that by the time they are joining they are having these assessments then they are ready for it. The only issue I have with CBC like I said was one I think there should have been more awareness of the parent and also the issue of blanketing it so that the assignment we are giving in Nairobi should it be the same assignment we are giving to someone in Marsabit, those far flung areas. How do we ensure that those assignments we are giving are community focused and based on the available resources. How do you also skill the teachers who are giving this training so that they are not training based on the lessons they had from 844 but from the skills that will enable them to do the CBC. And also the issue of it being expensive is also because they have not utilized the local materials to propel CBC. Otherwise I think it's a really nice concept that if well handled then we are going to see a lot of... It's a pity that we import even toothpicks. Yes, yes. And you see with this like skills focused kind of training CBC you are training people to work on their skills. We are training them for the industry and we are also not trying to kill the issue where the employers are saying that there is mismatch of training we are getting raw baked, those who are half baked employees to our job so we have to retrain them. So if we have those kind of engagement or also partnership with industry so that we know what they want and then train what they want. Okay. I think to just add on what my colleague is saying. The CBC incorporating the parental engagement is very, very key. That way the parent is able to understand what skills or what expertise this child is having so that now as they progress they are able to nurture them better so that they even probably build on their skills. So that by the time they are finishing we are not probably having people only just doing computers and with the skills they have probably received from the experience they have had. A person is passionate about cut entry. Even before they join probably the Tivet space or even before they join the tertiary education they could be even be making this child and selling them. So those skills enhance them to be employable or even to employ people. Okay, okay. Just brief about you. We are coming back to you. Walter, what do you do at Zizi Africa to promote Tivet education? Zizi Africa is an education research organization that envisions a world where every children learn and thrive. So in this learning under the Tivet space we are providing access to the youth who are farthest left behind. So those really need the kids, really need the youth who want to train but they don't have the finances. So through a program we call the Safari Con Foundation Scholarship Program we are offering scholarships to around 1000 students to train on skills food and beverage, plumbing, electrical and welding. But also under that Holiu Development Department we are also building the capacities of instructors and institutions so that they are able to train youth not only for the technical skills but they can train the head, the heart and the hands. It's unfortunate the issues of Prof. Kiche who we are talking about, the immediate former Masayimara Vice Chancellor. Students get to suffer because institutions were not compliant. But then if you build the capacities of these institutions to know that this is what is required for you to be accredited then they are able to train students and also not give them like those pains like on that the guy is having but also the due diligence is important. We are also ensuring quality by supporting them in curricular development so there is a lot of research evidence based and also a lot of advocacy. We are engaging a lot with government to ensure that issues in tivet like the 100% transition is not only academic where you are saying from primary to secondary. But also looking at how do we ensure that someone who is coming to primary can also go to tivet and gain skills because we are not formed in a way to go for academics. There are those who want apprenticeship and there are those who also want to go to technical skills. And lastly is transition to work. How do we engage with the employers, with others, take hold us under programs. I know you've heard of the hands of the future that was done under permanent working group which we are members to, there's the values and life skills working group. We are trying to ensure that there is that connection between the industry, linking industry with academia so that the training is customized in a way that people are trained to fit the needs of the industry. That looks nice or sounds nice. But now Berya, if maybe you want to, there's somebody watching for us, engaged us in our social media platform who did his class 8 and have not gone to any institution. There's also one who went to secondary and got a D minor. They don't know what to do next. And they lack funds maybe to go on or they don't know they are just not cancelled on where to go after that. They consider themselves failures. What can you tell them? One we need to have this mindset that tivets is not for failures. Yes, just because you got a D does not mean you're a failure. We have people who have imaged senior professors and big persons. So that is the first one. The second one is we have to, in our communities the tivets are there. Most of actually almost all counties, actually all the counties in Kenya as we are having now have tivet institutions in them. You can go in and enroll, enroll for hands-on skill or a course that you can take. May it be in hairdressing, in massage, in electrical, in plumbing, in welding, all these courses. These courses will actually enable you even to propel you to an advanced stage. Because it is true you starting at the basic level of say grid 3 of doing electrical welding that you are able to actually go work out there because that is something with your hands you are able to actually do so much. You are actually able to go door to door seeking for. Everyone in our houses we will all agree here that we need a plumber. We need someone to fix our electricity. We need someone to fix one or two things in our houses. And these are the people we are looking for. Right now if you ask me for a plumber perhaps I will not have one at a callaway but then these are skills we need and our own demand. No, these are not jobs or skills that you sit in and you are jobless. No, you actually get jobs with these skills. So you can go enroll in the courses. It only takes about one year or less in some of the institutions and actually you are able to get these skills and employ yourself or even get employment in the industries around. So you should not give up because you got a D or a grid that has not given you a leeway to maybe a university. Actually that D should propel you to start at grade three so that you are able to actually improve yourself and actually get into grade two and grade one which is the highest level. So after grade one you can do certificates? No, actually the starting point is grade three. Then you proceed to grade two. Then grade one is the highest certification. Can you use a grade one certificate to go to another level? Yes. So pathways are designed in a way that you can move from one to the other. So after grade one you can either go to diploma and I wish I had carried that alternative pathway map because then it shows that you can move from high school directly to a tivet diploma or from high school to grade three to grade two, grade one and then certificate which is craft. Then from craft you move to diploma and they are shorter. Or they are short courses? They are short courses also. So grade three takes around one year. Grade two is another I think around six months. Grade one is roughly another one year. So maybe in two and a half years you would have done all the grades. And maybe to also just add to what Beria was saying are you talking about people who have grade D or people who have just done their closet and can't proceed. 70% of the youth are not made for universities and that we know by the exams result that we get and that's like a big number. So this 70% who can't get to university they can't go through parallel because it's expensive also. So I would recommend tivet because in a year the fees is around 56,000 and in this 56,000 if government is giving you around 30,000 grants. So this is a capitation for every student that has joined a tivet institution that is 30,000. So the remaining balance is around 26,000. This 26,000 this is how you get it. Help is now in tivet and help gives around 40,000 per year. So they pay 26,000 to the school account and then the 30,000 is given to you for your help. So it means that a student can get to tivet completed while self funding rather than disturb the parents that need money for this. So it's a cheap option. That's one. Number two, because I know people don't like this a lot of academics. If you go the tivet, the need away you will have like 90% practical as exam. So even one who has not done who is not really conversant with English and all that can still pass. And then the other thing about tivet that is good and important is that it's easy to complete. So you can even do it in Swahili. As long as you understand your practical then another thing that I like about tivet is you know we've had people in the industry the joakali sector who are really good. You give someone a speaker to make they'll make it well but then they don't have paper so sometimes they can't go outside there. And I like what now the Kenya National Qualification Framework is doing. It's called recognition of prior land. You can go to an institution with your skill and just take an exam. So based on the results you get then they place you. So someone might have done like been an apprentice for like 15 years 4 or 10 and then they just go and take an exam to be certified. As we wrap up, I know you want to add but you will add to this question of Masi Awar. Masi Awar is asking that let me read her statement. I finished from 4 but didn't do well. I want to join polytechnic. I don't know what that is tivet now and do electricity. I am requesting that you link me with these people from Zizi so that they can give me scholarship. What can you tell Masi? Thanks Masi for your question. Now under the Safari Conf foundation scholarship we are taking very needy youth in the various partnership institutions we've had. We have 14 institutions all over the country. We have partnered to taking the needy youth. The scholarships as of now one was in January. They go as per the semester. So there was one in January. We are still in January. So there is one in January. The institutions advertised in December. So they are already taking in their students now. We have quite several actually scholarship currently going on. There is a KCB foundation scholarships funding the tivet students. So all you need to do perhaps maybe you could follow us on our social media handles and actually see because we actually post some of the scholarships happening there. So when Masi is particular that she wants Zizi scholarship when she should come back or when she should follow? Perhaps maybe I think what she should do is just check our social media sites because we always post. What we know is that for now this month we have already taken and then it also depends on the intakes of the institutions that we are partnering with. So based on the next intake if she goes to our social media platform Zizi Africa and for us we have made it easy. So in all platforms Zizi Africa including YouTube you will find our opportunities there. Our communication guys is really fast and he keeps updating them. Additionally even as she is looking up for the scholarship opportunities she could be joining our platforms actually just go on our website and see we have youth mentorships we have every month. This is to also equip the youth. You see other than the practicals other than the skills we need soft skills and those values those are the ones we are also preaching and telling the youth. Other than the practicals you have there are also soft skills that you need even in the workplace. Like respect communication and also in the tivet space yes I know as my colleague here was saying once we finished our form for the one thing we were asked to do is go for computers you can actually get into a tivet institution because right now they have incorporated digital literacy as part of their learning and also the skills the life skills. So you are able to actually get more than just computer packages out of that. So I think there is more to explore just look out on our platforms Zizi Africa Foundation and see the opportunities that are there see the youth mentorship hangouts and actually conduct every month and watch out and take part in them. Okay okay Walter finally as we finish my last question would you encourage somebody who has gone through the formal education it for to go also learn some hands on skilled jobs somebody like Thomas Obari who went through the University of Nairobi and passed with the first class. I think the evidence are there if you look at the last intake around 15,000 I think 15,000 youth who were qualified for University who chose tivet or they chose tivet and you see now tivet you can be selected for tivet through the KUCCPS so most of them chose tivet that number and it's not because it's not because they were influenced it's not because they were forced into it but because they sat down and realized that we don't have a lot of these white college jobs there are a lot of the blue college jobs yeah so then you'd rather go to a tivet institution get your skills also the employers are moving away from having people interviewed what are you bringing to our organization how good are you your personality giving you a task to do so the one who is good at making this table will get that job compared to someone who has learned theory in University that to make a table you need this inch of a table and this size of glass so the tivet institution is more practical so with that practicality I would really really encourage anyone to take a tivet tivet course because you'll need electricity if you don't get the job of course if you're not going for it to get a job you'll be saving yourself some money if you want to repair your electricity at home you'll be sparing yourself a lot of cash by making your own table so please give us your closing remarks yes thank you thank you so much so for every young person who has completed 844 and is wondering what next I would emphasize and encourage them to enroll in a tivet institution tivet you will find any tivet any vocational institution in your county in your area where you in your communities learn a skill even if you want to do any other course you have a skill that you can confidently go with in the market may it be entrepreneurial skills have an extra skill that you can actually be competitive out there and that is going to make you it will add an advantage to your skills I would encourage that your final word Walter skills development for life and work let's get skilled as young people because tivet is one of the reasons ones of the things that will make SDGs be attained thank you from me but once I'm through with what I'm doing now I'll go learn mechanics and electricity yes I'll do them to the highest level so that I will spare what I will have to spend on repairing my cars and all that and you can also do that maybe to make extra cash and all that so I think you are educated to move forward to making your life better this has been why in the morning and next we are coming up with youth and politics and MCM