A parent's guide to choosing a technical course

For many Kenyan families, paying for a child's training is one of the largest investments they will ever make. It deserves the same care as buying land. Yet most families choose a college on reputation, distance or a friend's advice, without asking the questions that matter.

Here are five questions we believe every parent should ask, of any institution, including ours.

• Is the college licensed by TVETA, and is the qualification on the national framework?

• How much real, supervised work will my child do before they graduate?

• Which employers are involved, and do they actually hire graduates?

• What does the college measure, and will it publish the results?

• How can we pay, and what support exists if money is tight?

The second and third questions matter most. A course that sends learners to find their own attachment at the end is very different from one where employers are involved from the first term. The first produces certificates. The second produces careers.

"Ask every college one question. Where did last year's graduates go to work? If they cannot answer, keep looking."

At IDEA, learners work with host employers from their first term. Fees can be paid termly or monthly, and our admissions team guides families through HELB, bursaries and scholarships. We will publish our graduate outcomes once our founding cohort completes.

Applications for the March 2027 intake open on 30 November 2026. Students can apply before KCSE results and receive a conditional offer. We welcome parents to visit, ask hard questions and hold us to our answers.