The Ministry of Education in collaboration with the Voi Constituency Development Fund (CDF) has handed over the Sh13 million Kasigau Campus to Coast Institute of Technology (CIT) as part of a government’s initiative to open up institutions offering technical skills to residents in remote areas.
While handing over the project, Voi Member of Parliament (MP) Mlolwa Jones noted that the institution will benefit hundreds of residents of Kasigau and emphasised on the importance of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions in creating a pool of skilled personnel vital for growth and prosperity of various sectors of the economy.
“It is only through TVET that we will create employment for our youth. It is a big challenge getting plumbers, electricians and even masons in our area. Those available were trained years ago elsewhere. We need these institutions to train such professionals continuously,” he said.
The Sh13 million campus sits on a 4-acre piece of land in Kasigau. A local, elder Mzee Mwandondo donated the land.
CIT Principal Mr Stephen Ngome who accompanied the legislator appealed to the residents to utilize the institution and enrol their children to gain skills and help uplift their community.
“If at all we are to succeed, we all have to agree that education is the key to development as a community. It is only through you the residents of Kasigau that we will be able to achieve this. Don’t condemn your children if they fail, take advantage of this opportunity and enrol them here instead and let them start from somewhere as they climb the ladder with the skills gained,” he urged them.
The opening of the campus will see that local residents in Kasigau area that have suffered landlessness, poor infrastructure and low education level gain hands-on skill from the institution with ease.
Peter Mwangi, the TVET County Director, commended the MP for supporting the Ministry of Education’s agenda and emphasised on the need of technical skills in solving the unemployment problem in the country.
“We are making progress as a Coast region but we also need a lot of support from all corners in order to grow. We also need to change the mindset of our pupils so that they can embrace TVET as it is the way to go in the future bearing in mind the high rate of diminishing white collar jobs. When they pursue a practical course in a TVET institution, our youth will be self-employed,” he stated.
The MP pledged bursaries to the first 20 students to enrol in the local institution.
CIT is the largest of such institutions in the Coast region with a population of over 2,000 learners.
By Raphew F Mukuyia
