The government has committed to spend over Sh29 billion to support the growth and development of Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) in the country.
Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu said that the Ministry has developed the National TVET Blueprint (2020-2030) to give a strategic orientation of the sector and foster youth empowerment and employment in the country.
“In this financial year, we shall employ 2,000 more tutors which will bring the total number to 4,000 since we assumed office,” Machogu said.
He was speaking when he presided over the 10th graduation of 4,203 graduands at Kisumu National Polytechnic. They comprised artisans, crafts, diplomas, and higher national diplomas.
Out of the 770 Engineering graduates (18 percent of the total),207 were girls which represented 4.9 percent, and in the last 10 years, 414 females have graduated in the course.
Machogu said plans were underway to equip 70 TVET centres with state of the art equipment and technology in collaboration with the Government of China.
The move will see several students acquire the much-needed practical skills, and be market-ready and competitive.
He reiterated that the rollout of the Competency Based Education Training (CBET) will mainstream industrial linkages and positive skills to the students through the dual training approach.
The Kenya School of TVET, he said will play a key role in ensuring that tutors are retooled to deliver the CBET, with a strong focus on practical skills for students.
The programs will enable tutors in TVETs to produce graduates with useable and market-ready skills.
“The Education reform agenda is premised on the recommendations of the Presidential Working Party on Education reforms, which have articulated a clear agenda on the TVET institutions,” he said.
The government, he said will continue to invest and expand the TVET space which now includes 24 National Polytechnics (13 recently upgraded), and over 200 technical vocational colleges spread across the country.
Sixteen new Technical and Vocational Colleges (TVCs), he said will be constructed in constituencies this financial year, in line with the policy of establishing one TVC per constituency.
The government, he added has established 113 Jitume Centres in various parts of the country to give unemployed youth an opportunity to earn decently through working for various international firms in the digital space.
He said the centers have been equipped with10,780 devices with 370 tutors from various TVETs trained to support the program.
The Jitume Centre at Kisumu National Polytechnic, he disclosed has already trained 600 youths in digital skills programs and released them to the market, with a current cohort of 200 undergoing training. The program has been key in empowering the youth and putting money in their pockets.
“I am happy that the youth trained at this institution are earning between Sh7000 and Sh25,000 per week from the digital jobs they have secured online,” Machogu remarked.
CS Machogu challenged the management and leadership of Kisumu National Polytechnic to come up with ways of popularising the engineering and STEM courses to students, and girls in particular within the catchment area.
By Rolex Omondi
