Nyamira County technical and vocational institutions’ staff marched in Nyamira town with a lit torch flame in solidarity to mark 100 years of existence of Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVETs) institutions in Kenya.
Led by Emily Ongaga, County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for education who was representing the area Governor Amos Nyaribo, TVET managers and staff lauded this initiative put in place long before they were even born saying they are of immense benefit to the youth countrywide.
“The county has graduated hundreds of youths who are adequately and professionally trained in numerous marketable technical and vocational courses to enable them secure employment opportunities and at the same time customise innovations which suit the twenty-first market demand of their skills.” CECM Ongaga noted.
“The current job market requires people who have hands-on technical skills since they are key in sustaining our country’s economy from the daily services they provide to Kenyans. Our education’s new curriculum system has mainstreamed technical subjects as early as Junior Secondary Schools (JSS). It will enable learners to be exposed early and create interest in technical subjects to endear them to critical thinking and innovators in various technical courses,” she stated.
She appealed to parents who are worried that their children who never managed to score grades which will enable them to have direct admission to university to study courses at degree level to enroll them in TVET institutions.
“Our county has invested heavily in TVET institutions by equipping them with appropriate labs, equipment and apparatus and in collaboration with the Ministry of Education (MOE) deployed professional instructors and lectures so that our youth get the best. Our county national polytechnic has been identified to collaborate with National Youth Service (NYS) to train its recruits in various technical courses.
Nyamira National polytechnic principal Geoffrey Andama confirmed that they offer professional hands-on courses which have helped very many youths secure jobs, become job creators and technology innovators and have economically stabilised through earnings from using their earned skills.
“Students enrolled in TVET institutions countrywide are equally entitled to various education scholarships and bursaries including Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) just like those students enrolled in Universities undertaking degree programmes to facilitate their tuition fee. Students should therefore not fear that they will not manage to pay school fees. There are avenues which will enable them to finish their courses without deferring due to lack of school fees,” Mr Andama advised.
TVETS in Kenya have existed for 100 years. The first TVET institution was the current Kabete National Polytechnic, which was initially known as Jeanes School started in 1924. Nyamira County has established 5 polytechnics and 43 vocational training centres with a boarding student capacity of 5000 students though the enrollment currently is 2300 students.
By Deborah Bochere
