The Nakuru County government has set in motion a collaborative engagement with the National Industrial Training Authority (NITA) to upscale the capacity of the County Vocational Training Centres.
Through this collaboration, the County VTCs will benefit from NITA expertise in Training the trainers, skills and curriculum development, and industrial attachment for students.
Other benefits include the accreditation of more VTCs as exam centres to benefit learners, especially in far-flung areas, and the development of a framework for awarding Certificates based on Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), acknowledging the skills and knowledge acquired outside formal education.
This was highlighted today during a meeting with representatives of NITA led by Senior Industrial Training Officer Peter Njiru, who had paid a courtesy call to Deputy Governor David Kones.
DG Kones said the concept of RPL has the capacity to transform the country and the counties into industrialisation, since the majority of people with innovative ideas, especially those who work in the Jua Kali Sector, have proved beyond doubt their prowess in innovation.
He noted that a number of household items in East Africa, from energy-saving jikos to ovens, were innovated by the local Jua Kali sector, and once they get the RPL certificates, they are likely to progress and even work abroad where certificates are mandatory.
A technical working Committee was suggested by the County Executive for Education, Zipporah Wambui, to come up with a framework for the collaboration.
Also present were the County Executive for Youth, Sports, Gender, Social Services, and Inclusivity-Nakuru County, Josephine Atieno, and the County Director for Vocational Training, David Mwangi.
By Veronica Bosibori
