Technical and Vocational Education and Training Institutes in Lamu have received training equipment worth Sh8 million from the Aga Khan Foundation and the European Union to spur job creation in the informal sector.
Speaking to journalists on Friday during the handover ceremony on Lamu Island, Lamu Deputy Governor AbdulhakimAboudBwana said the equipment which will be distributed to all the five main TVET institutions and their satellites in the county, will be a boost in attracting more students to enrol for the TVET programmes.
Last yearLamu Governor FahimTwaha issued a directive waiving fees for Lamu residents wishing to join TVETs.
Since the directive was issued TVETs in Lamu have already recorded an increase in enrolment from 136 in 2016 to 3471 in 2019.
“The Lamu county government is there to support its youth in terms of providing bursaries to enable them gain skills at our local TVETs through which they can then gain employment in the informal sector,” the deputy governor stated.
He further added that with the boost in training equipment that the county’s TVETs received from the European Union and the Aga Khan Foundation more students are likely to enroll due to the marketability of TVET courses today.
“The national government has been very keen on creating jobs for the youth, and one key component of that is ensuring that our youth population gainsskills through TVETs,” the DG said.
He noted that the skills the youths are gaining in the TVETs will be key when they are seeking jobs tied to the LAPSSET project.
“I would urge all youth to take advantage of the opportunities available for them if they can join and make use of the training offered in TVETs, and the best part is that the county government is offering scholarships and bursaries,” he added.
According to LAPSSET Director General Silvester Kasuku only 80 youth from Lamu out of the 1,500 jobs currently allocated in the LAPSSET project have been employed due to lack of skilled training in some of the desired jobs.
“Right now, we have students enrolling for plumbing, electrical, hairdressing and tourism courses because TVET standards have improved across the county,” Lamu County Education Chief Officer Francis Thairu stated.
Thairu further revealed that some of the equipment such as the industrial sewing machines will be used by the county government to train students how to make county uniforms, through which they will be paid for their skill.
He further thanked the Aga Khan Foundation for keeping tabs on Lamu’s education sector which he said has improved.
“The Lamu County government together with the Aga Khan Foundation realised that the education standards needed a boost in terms of funding, political goodwill, and that is the reason for the sustained funding both from the public and the private sector,” Aga Khan Coast regional manager Athrash Ali said.
He added that the Aga Khan Foundation will spend Sh 2.5 billion in coast region in programmes aimed at improving education standards and creating job opportunities among the youth.
By Amenya Ochieng
