Phase one construction of a Regional Flagship Marine Transport and Port Logistics Centre under the East Africa Skills for Transformation and Regional Integration Project (EASTRIP) is almost done.
The EASTRIP is being implemented in 13 Regional Flagship Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Institutions in Kenya, Ethiopia and Tanzania. The institutions focus on skills development Transport, Power and Energy, Manufacturing and ICT.
The Kenya Coast National Polytechnic (KCNP), Kenya Institute of Building and Highway Technology, KenGen Geothermal Institute, Kisumu National Polytechnic, and Meru National Polytechnic were selected in Kenya.
Through funding from the World Bank and the Government of Kenya, KCNP was selected to develop a regional Centre of Excellence in Marine Transport and Port logistics aimed at churning out professionals to serve in the ever-growing maritime sector.
The Deputy Director of TVET at the Ministry of Education Archer Arina said during a monitoring and evaluation tour of the institution erected on a 40-acre land in Waa, Kwale County that the project that began in 2022 is at 75 per cent completion.
He reported that construction is progressing well, albeit at a slow pace, as the team is working on a fact-finding mission to resolve the project’s challenges.
“The project, costing Sh1.8 billion, includes construction and equipment supply for buildings, aiming to create functional systems beyond just structures,” said Arina.
The construction works that entail a Maritime Centre, Catering Centre and The International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watch keeping for Seafarers (STCW) and swimming pool will cost Sh600M.
The remaining amount will be used to purchase equipment for the structures. “So far they haven’t used all the money that is required. The project is about 75% completion as of May; so, the remaining work is about 25 per cent,” explained Arina.
On his part, the Deputy Executive Secretary at the Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA) Dr Idris Rai said the institution is poised to be a game changer in the region.
Dr Rai led a Regional Facilitation Unit (RFU), the coordinator of the project tasked with the development of policies geared at harmonizing TVET systems in the region and monitoring and evaluating the implementation of the projects.
“We have seen the buildings; the works have been going on well. There is a lot of work to be done to make this institution truly regional whereby it can accommodate students from other partner states,” he said.
Some countries in the region Dr Rai noted are prioritizing the Blue Economy and thus there is demand and potential to make the institution truly regional.
“Blue Economy is being prioritized in several partner states. It is set to grow. If you look at Tourism, Maritime Transportation and Logistics are set to grow,” he stated, adding that employment potential in the sector will also grow as the sector will provide much-needed skills to the youths that will be absorbed in the market.
Chief Principal of KCNP Ms. Mary Muthoka said the institution is regional in the sense that it will train students from Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
She noted that the project has marine engineering and hospitality sections adding all the TVET areas that KCNP is training will use the marine centre as the finishing school.
“This is the facility that will make them to be sea ready for those who are interested in careers in marine transport and port logistics,” said the Chief Principal.
She said phase one of the project is poised to accommodate up to 1500 students and appealed to the government and the World Bank to also support phase two of the project.
By Sadik Hassan
