The Belt and Road Initiative and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in Kenya: The Kenya-China TVET Project

This study explores the impact of China’s Belt and Road Initiative on improving vocational education quality and employment rates in Kenya through a collaborative educational program known as the Kenya-China Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) project. The opinions and narratives of teachers and students with vibrant knowledge of the project were analyzed through the theoretical lenses of globalization and vocationalism. The results show that the Kenya-China TVET Project has improved Kenyan TVET classrooms with modern equipment to meet industrial standards and allowed essential skills to be developed through various collaborative opportunities with Chinese corporations. Despite minor challenges and obstacles, early evidence suggests benefits brought by the project including increased self-employment, a growth in Kenya’s manufacturing, and more mutual understanding between the two countries.