The Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK) has called for a strengthened partnership with the government in supporting vocational training as a way of addressing joblessness and hopelessness among the youth.
Newly consecrated Bishop of Mt. Kenya West Diocese Gerald Muriithi said the church and government need to work together in addressing societal vices such as escalating crime, addiction to alcohol and harmful drugs that are slowly ruining future generations.
“We need to keep encouraging our youth to take up technical courses aimed at supporting themselves and the community. The government needs to sponsor the young people to acquire skills and in doing so, vices, including alcohol intake, will decline,” he said.
Speaking during a graduation ceremony at Ethi Polytechnic in Laikipia County, Bishop Muriithi noted that his church has several vocational centres in the region, but they were currently underutilized, since the respective county governments were not extending support in the form of bursaries to the needy students within their localities.
“We have enough facilities and all the tools to train the students, and we call upon well-wishers and counties to join us in supporting them. It’s time to empower them since their population is increasing and they are jobless,” encouraged Muriithi.
For instance, Ethi polytechnic was established by the ACK in 1985 in an area dominated by the Maasai pastoral community, with a mission of bringing on board young boys and girls, and prevent them from engaging in social vices such as cattle rustling and child marriage.
Since then, more than 15,000 youths have graduated with various vocational courses through sponsorship of the church and other well-wishers who cater for tuition and boarding fees.
However, the number of sponsors had been on the decline in recent years, making the institution that also has a support programme for teenage mothers attain less than 60 percent in enrolment.
Turing Trust Country Director Koome Kiragu, who was the chief guest during the graduation ceremony, said his organisation would continue supporting a computer literacy programme targeting all the trainees at the facility.
The same organisation recently equipped a computer classroom at Ethi polytechnic, besides sponsoring several students who are currently pursuing various artisan courses.
“We have partnered with the church to ensure learners acquire digital skills. I urge parents to enrol their children in vocational institutions, where they can get skills that would help them in the future,” said Kiragu.
The institution had more than 50 students who graduated with fashion design, hairdressing and beauty therapy, catering and accommodation, building and construction, as well as electrical and motor vehicle mechanics.
One of the hairdressing and beauty therapy graduand Ann Maina, said that the course had helped her set up a salon, where she was generating some income even before graduating.
By Muturi Mwangi
