Influence of TVET Accessibility on Pastoralist Gendered Differential Uptake of Vocational Training in Marsabit County
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.53819/81018102t2571Abstract
Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) has increasingly been recognized as a pathway for enhancing youth employability, skills development, and socioeconomic inclusion. However, despite the expansion of TVET institutions in Kenya, gender disparities in vocational training uptake remain prevalent, particularly among marginalized pastoralist communities. This study examined the influence of TVET accessibility on pastoralist gendered differential uptake of vocational training in Marsabit County, Kenya. The study was anchored on Capability Theory and adopted a descriptive survey research design. The target population comprised 535 students enrolled in vocational training centres managed by the County Government of Marsabit, from which a sample of 225 respondents was selected through stratified random sampling. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire, while descriptive and inferential statistics were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). Exploratory factor analysis identified two dimensions of TVET accessibility, namely physical access and institutional quality. Correlation analysis revealed that physical access had a positive and significant relationship with economic gains for enrolment (r = 0.238, p < 0.05), social gains for progression (r = 0.495, p < 0.05), and employability (r = 0.182, p < 0.05). Institutional quality also demonstrated a positive and significant relationship with social gains for progression (r = 0.533, p < 0.05) and employability (r = 0.303, p < 0.05). Regression analysis further established that physical access (β = 0.208, p < 0.05) and institutional quality (β = 0.179, p < 0.05) had positive and statistically significant effects on gendered differential uptake of vocational training, with the model explaining 22.9% of the variation in uptake (R² = 0.229). The study concludes that improving accessibility through equitable distribution of TVET institutions, adequate infrastructure, flexible learning pathways, and enhanced institutional quality can improve gender-equitable participation in vocational training among pastoralist youth. The study recommends expansion of TVET infrastructure and strengthening of institutional capacity in marginalized pastoralist regions to enhance inclusive vocational training uptake.
Keywords: TVET accessibility, gendered differential uptake, vocational training, pastoralist youth, institutional quality, Marsabit County.
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