Plans to upgrade the Nyandarua Institute of Science and Technology to a fully-fledged National Polytechnic are at an advanced stage, the Education Cabinet Secretary (CS), Prof. George Magoha has said.
Prof. Magoha, who was speaking when he made an impromptu tour to inspect the institution on Sunday, accompanied by her counterpart in the Ministry of Water and Sanitation, Sicily Kariuki said that the institution has met the standards set by the ministry and soon it will be upgraded to the national status.
He noted that the ministry will walk with the institution to ensure that requisite faculties were enriched by upgrading the already existing faculties in an effort to improving their state.
“The buildings are in excellent state and the equipment for agricultural and electrical engineering as well as building and construction courses, are there.
“Since this county has no university it is only fair that we declare this institution as a national polytechnic as we walk with it to ensure it attains the national polytechnic standards,” added Magoha as he challenged the management to make a few adjustments to make the students comfortable.
Maghoha noted that the government was committed towards upgrading Technical institutions across the country to enable youths acquire requisite skills needed to earn a living and the country’s development.
He observed that vocational education prepared students for specific jobs and that this was available in schools and colleges with special and specific training.
He added that once it’s done, the institutions will start admitting students from across the country.
The move to upgrade the institution comes following calls by local leadership to have the institution made a National polytechnic.
On her part, CS Sicily Kariuki said her ministry was also set to sink and equip a borehole at the learning institutions to boost its water supply and properly service the entire population.
“Technical training makes people skilled so that they may be able to handle machineries properly. Technical education makes you an expert in certain domains of life. There are certain jobs that cannot be performed well unless having technical education,” she said.
The Ol Jororok MP, Michael Muchira added that the labour market was shifting from employment to skills and practical-based and Polytechnics were not meant for failures but for those who wanted to gain skills, create things and create employment.
By Anne Sabuni
