Schools in Vihiga County have been urged to focus on technical competence of learners which for a long time has been ignored.
Speaking on Monday at Muhudu Seconday School in Hamisi Sub County, the Vihiga County Commissioner (CC), Ochillo Oyugi said it was high time schools provided a favourable environment for students to show case their technical abilities.
Saying that the move would go a long way to ensure availability of enough technical personnel in the country in future, Oyugi reiterated that lack of it was a setback to development.
“For our nation to compete effectively with the rest of the world, we need plumbers, electricians and enough personnel in technical fields. For our health sector to run smoothly doctors need nurses, for architects to achieve what they do, they rely on other people with technical skills,” he said.
As he hailed the County for achieving 100 per cent primary to secondary school transition, the CC urged the public and learners to discard the long held believe that technical training was meant for failures.
He further reminded them that basic education, which is a Constitutional requirement for every Kenyan child, goes up to form four.
“The reason why the government is insisting on the 100 per cent transition is because basic education goes up to form four. Every Kenyan child has a right to this and should not be denied under whichever circumstances. I am happy in Vihiga we had 100 per cent transition,” he said.
Mentioning some of the most coveted footballers like Christiano Ronaldo who plays for the Italian Series A side Juventus Football Club, Oyugi said that one could make a livelihood out of sports.
He therefore challenged schools to promote and support development of talents by allowing students participate in co-curricular activities of their choice.
By Isaiah Nayika