A new audit report has exposed widespread failures in management and governance within several Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions across Kenya, casting doubt on their ability to effectively deliver skills training to young people.

The Auditor General’s report, which reviewed the operations of multiple colleges, revealed irregular fee structures, weak financial controls, poor hiring practices, and procurement breaches, all of which point to a serious lack of accountability.

According to the audit, some TVET colleges have been imposing student fees that do not match officially approved rates.

In several cases, institutions failed to provide documentation to support how funds were spent, while others lacked basic internal audit systems to monitor financial activities.

The report also found that procurement processes were widely abused or ignored altogether.

Among the institutions cited are Siruti, Sirisia, Tharaka Nithi, West Mugirango, Ugenya, and Tigania East.

These colleges were found to be operating without key departments such as finance, procurement, and human resources, which are necessary for basic institutional functioning. Auditors warned that such structural weaknesses severely compromise service delivery and the training of students.

The report also flagged troubling staffing patterns, with one college employing 34 out of its 69 staff members—about 49 percent—from a single ethnic group. This, the audit said, goes against legal requirements for diversity in public institutions and raises concerns about fairness in recruitment.

Further scrutiny revealed that some colleges are still relying on outdated manual accounting systems, which are prone to mistakes.

In many cases, transactions were neither prepared nor approved by different officers, breaching key internal controls.

The auditors also uncovered duplicate student receipt numbers and instances where travel allowances were paid without required documents like official invitation letters.

These gaps in oversight, according to the audit, reflect deep-rooted weaknesses in how TVETs are run, despite their growing importance in the education sector.

With university education remaining out of reach for many, TVET institutions are seen as vital for equipping the youth, especially from low-income families, with practical skills for employment.

However, the findings suggest that unless urgent reforms are introduced, these institutions may end up doing more harm than good by mismanaging public funds and failing to provide quality training.

As youth unemployment continues to rise, the report is urging policymakers to act quickly to fix governance issues in the TVET sector, enforce proper oversight, and ensure fair and inclusive access to technical education.