Artificial Intelligence for Competency-Based Technical and Vocational Education: A Review and ICT4D Framework for Sustainable Digital Transformation in Developing Countries

Abstract

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping education by enabling personalised instruction, automated assessment, and data-informed decision-making, yet its integration into Competency-Based Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in developing countries remains uneven and under-theorised. This review synthesises recent evidence (2020-2026) on AI applications in competency-based TVET and situates the findings within an Information and Communication Technology for Development (ICT4D) perspective. Drawing on peer-reviewed studies, institutional reports, and policy documents identified through structured searches of academic databases and reputable open-access repositories, the review examines intelligent tutoring systems, adaptive learning, learning analytics, educational chatbots, generative AI, and automated assessment, alongside the institutional, infrastructural, and policy conditions that shape their uptake. The evidence indicates that AI can strengthen competency acquisition, learner engagement, and instructor productivity, but sustainable adoption depends on reliable digital infrastructure, instructor and learner digital literacy, supportive leadership, and clear ethical governance, conditions that remain constrained across many developing-country TVET systems, including Kenya's. The review proposes an integrated AI-ICT4D framework linking AI-enabled digital learning platforms, institutional readiness, and competency-based teaching to development outcomes, including Sustainable Development Goal 4. The paper concludes with implications for TVET policymakers, institutional leaders, and researchers, and identifies the shortage of large-scale empirical studies on AI in competency-based TVET in low- and middle-income countries as a priority for future research.