Enrolment in Technical colleges increases

The number of trainees joining both public and private Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) Institutions in Nyanza region has steadily increased in the past two years.
The region currently has a total enrolment of 42,000 trainees, up from a paltry 8,200 in 2014.
According the Nyanza regional TVET coordinator Lucas Ocharo, 36,340 are enrolled in Ministry of Education run TVET institutions and the remaining are placed in private colleges.
Speaking the during the Nyanza Regional Development and Implementation and Coordination Committee (RDICC) chaired by Regional Commissioner James Kianda, Ocharo said the introduction of fees subsidies or capitation by the Government and Higher Education Loans Board (HELP) loans has had a positive effect on access in TVET enrolment.
Ocharo revealed that expansion of existing colleges and construction of new colleges in constituencies has also enhanced more opportunities for students.
“The Nyanza region has 22 Public TVET institutions under the Ministry of Education, these include two national polytechnics and 20 technical and vocational colleges (TVC’s),” he said
Ocharo said construction of nine new TVC’s is ongoing while 7 others have been proposed.
He said the government has allocated Sh700 million to fund specific projects in those institutions and equipped all completed TVC’s to a tune of between Sh80 to Sh200 million each.
The official said the region will receive up to 600 new trainers after three rounds of recruitment by the Public Service Commission (PSC), adding that this will reduce spending by boards and councils of institutions on hiring trainers.
“Kisumu and Kisii counties have higher numbers supported by the national polytechnics which are more attractive to the youth”.
He said the Nyanza region has two special needs TVET institutions St. Joseph Technical Training Institute (TTI) for the deaf, Nyangoma and sikrii for the deaf and blind in Siaya and Homa bay counties respectively.
The combined enrolment of trainees in these institutions has grown from 100 and 65 in 2015 in the two institutions to 680 and 750 respectively.
The regional commissioner asked the department to focus training on relevant courses in the blue economy.
By George Kaiga