TVET CDACC Levels 3 to 6 Explained: What the New Modular Curricula Mean for Trainees, Parents and Trainers

5 min read

Every January, the same conversation plays out at the gate of almost every vocational training centre in Kenya. A parent holds a KCSE slip, a young person stands beside them, and someone asks: “Should she do Level 4 or Level 5? And what is the difference anyway?”

That question just got more interesting. CDACC’s modularized curricula, released in 2025, changed how the levels fit together. Many trainers are still explaining the old system.

I went through the new curricula line by line. I will use electrical as the running example, because it climbs neatly from Level 3 to Level 6. (If you are only weighing the first two rungs, my earlier piece on CDACC Level 3 vs Level 4 goes deeper on that choice.)

What a “level” means

Under Competency Based Education and Training (CBET), a level describes how complex the work is that a graduate can do on their own. It is not a count of years in class. The levels follow the Kenya National Qualifications Framework (KNQF), which is why every curriculum now says “KNQF Level 4” or “KNQF Level 5”.

A Level 4 electrician installs wiring systems, solar PV systems and alarms. A Level 6 graduate takes on full electrical engineering work. Same trade, very different job.

The big change: levels now stack like building blocks

In the new curricula, units of learning are grouped into modules, and each level builds on the modules below it.

Take electrical. Module 1 is PVC sheathed cable, trunking and conduit installation. That module is the Level 3 qualification. Level 4 includes Module 1 and adds Module 2: stand-alone solar PV systems, bell and alarm installation, and electrical machine winding. Level 5 carries Modules 1 to 5. Level 6 carries Modules 1 to 8.

CDACC says plainly why it did this. It removes duplicated content, makes exemptions easier for skills a trainee already has, and lets trainees become employable sooner through part qualifications.

The electrical ladder, level by level

Level	Qualification	Entry requirement	Total hours	Industry training
3	Electrical Installation Technology	KCPE, or equivalent as determined by TVETA	540	240
4	Electrical Installation Technology	KCSE grade E, or EIT Level 3 certificate	980	320
5	Electrical Engineering	KCSE grade D (plain), or EIT Level 4 certificate	2,390	480
6	Electrical Engineering	KCSE grade C- (minus), or Electrical Engineering Level 5 certificate	3,640	480

Read the hours carefully. Each total is the full course from Module 1 upward, including the industry training. A trainee who already holds Level 4 has covered Modules 1 and 2. The curriculum is designed to let such a trainee skip what they have already proven, so ask your institution exactly which modules you are exempted from.

Three things stand out.

There is a way in at every step. A modest KCSE grade does not lock anyone out. Each level accepts the certificate from the level below.

Industry training is built in. It runs from 240 hours at Level 3 to 480 hours at Levels 5 and 6. It can be done after all units, or spread across units for those taking part qualifications. My industrial attachment guide explains the logbook and portfolio side of it.

The names change as you climb. “Electrical Installation Technology” at Levels 3 and 4 becomes “Electrical Engineering” at Levels 5 and 6. Parents reading a fee structure should not mistake them for different careers.

Where did the basic units go?

In the older curricula, communication, numeracy and entrepreneurship sat in separate basic units with their own hours. In the new Level 3 and 4 curricula, basic and common competencies are assessed inside the core units. A trainee shows communication and safety skills while installing a conduit system, not in a separate exam.

From Level 5 upward, units such as digital literacy, work ethics and entrepreneurial skills reappear as named units within the modules.

How assessment works now

The new curricula set clear rules:

• Formative and summative assessments count 60% and 40% of each unit’s score.
• Theory and practical are weighted 10:90 in most units at the lower levels. At Level 6, the higher modules move to 40:60.
• Theory is examined orally and integrated into practical assessment at the lower levels.
• Results are rated: 80–100 Attained Mastery, 65–79 Proficient, 50–64 Competent, 49 and below Not Yet Competent.

That 90% practical weighting deserves a moment. A trainee who memorises notes but cannot wire a circuit will not pass. Centres that teach from the chalkboard will see it in their results.

What you walk away with

Certification now works at three sizes:

1. Statement of Attainment for a certifiable element within a unit.
2. Certificate of Competency for each core unit you master.
3. Kenya National TVET Certificate for the full qualification.

A trainee who has to stop halfway still leaves with proof of what they can do, and can return later to finish. The new curricula also allow Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) assessment to lead to a part or full qualification.

Advice for trainees and parents

1. Start from the job you want, not the grade you have.
2. If your grade only opens Level 3 or 4, take it. The ladder is real.
3. Before you pay, ask which modules the course covers and which you may be exempted from.
4. Ask where trainees do their industry training. A vague answer is a warning sign.

Advice for trainers and centre managers

1. Retrain staff on integrated assessment. Basic competencies are now judged inside practical tasks.
2. Check trainer qualifications. The new electrical curricula ask for at least a Level 5 qualification, TVETA licensing, and a licence from EBK or KETRB.
3. Plan workshops for 90% practical assessment: materials, tools and space, not just notes.

The bottom line

CDACC levels are a ladder of what someone can do on the job. With the 2025 modular curricula, the rungs now lock together. That makes it easier than ever to start small, earn a part qualification, and keep climbing.

Key takeaways

• CDACC’s 2025 curricula group units into modules that stack from Level 3 to Level 6.
• In electrical, full-course hours run 540, 980, 2,390 and 3,640 from Level 3 to Level 6, including industry training.
• Each level accepts the certificate from the level below, so a low KCSE grade is not a dead end.
• At Levels 3 and 4, basic competencies are assessed inside the core units.
• Assessment is 60% formative, 40% summative, and mostly practical.
• Certificates come in three sizes: statement of attainment, unit certificate, full national certificate.

Resources for trainers

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