About

The function of the Department is to train students in technical and vocational education through offering of programmes to students poised basically to become professional educational teachers and trainers. Principally, the Department provides pedagogical skills through education foundations and expertise in various technical and vocational fields. Apart from these the Department provides skills and competencies in research, consultancy, and also participates in outreach activities.  

Currently, the Department has three sections with specific focus Technical Education and Science; this section is responsible for producing teachers/trainer professionals in occupational fields and educational sciences. The second and new section is the Technology and Science and this section looks at Technology in occupational fields and science; this section deals with production of trainers and instructors in expert fields in five routes according to the TEVET needs. Lastly, we have the Education Business and Computer Studies Section responsible for producing professional teachers/trainers for business studies and entrepreneurship. 

What we currently offer

The Department has been offering a Technical and Vocational Education degrees to prospective teachers/instructors and trainers since 1981. Our goal is to deliver a programme in technical and vocational education that are academically sound and focused on the needs of the industry and society. Since 2005, the Department has been offering Bachelor of Science (Technical Education) and Bachelor of Education Computer Studies. The Bachelor of Education Business Computer Studies programme was implemented bring in professional teachers/instructors/trainers’ delivery business and computer courses for Secondary Schools and Technical Colleges. In recent years, the Bachelor of Technical Education (Technology) was introduced to address emerging needs of in particular Ministry of Labour and TEVET. Basically, the three programmes aim to provide training for technical, science, or business computer teachers or trainers who may be employed in secondary schools, technical colleges, and vocational training institutions. 

Over the years the Department has made significant strides in reviewing the curricula for all three degrees, in ensuring that the programmes provide solutions to the challenges the country is facing and aligning them with the current practice in the industry and across the globe. The reviews were conducted in consultation with the internal and local key stakeholders such as the University of Regina, Canada; the Technical, Entrepreneurial, and Vocational Education and Training Authority (TEVETA); the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MoEST); and representatives from various technical colleges and the industry. As a result, there have been significant improvements in the way the degrees are structure and offered. 

Apart from the degree programmes, the Department offers the University Certificate of Education. The goal of this qualification enhance teaching and learning skills and knowledge for those experts involved in training or instruction. It aims at inculcating pedagogical skills and competencies to the science and art of teaching. Further, the Department has been involved in running short tailor-made courses to address specific pedagogical needs for the local industry through external partners. 

At post-graduate, the Department offers the Master of Technical and Vocational Education programme. The goal of this programme is to support poverty reduction and socio-economic development strategies through human capacity building in the TEVET sector. The programme aims at equipping graduates with advanced knowledge, skills, values, and competencies in theories, principles, and concepts that govern technical, economic, pedagogic, scientific, legal, communication, management, and social fields of study and practice. In turn, the graduates should be able to critique the theories, principles, and concepts and apply their understanding in TEVET development and management.

Other ventures

The academic members in the Department of Applied Education are among the most industrious in the School of Education, Communication and Media Studies and the University at large. Not only do they engage in academic research projects but also engage in various outreach activities in Secondary Schools and Technical Colleges across the country.