The Principal of a Vocational training institution in Kiambu County has expressed the need for provision of adequate learning materials and equipment owing to the increased population.
Speaking to KNA on Monday at Ndumberi Vocational Institute, Kahura Kariuki said that the population of students had increased tremendously from 97 to 163 in the last three years resulting to a high demand of training equipment to meet the current needs of students.
The institution has around eight classrooms which according to Kariuki are hardly enough for the rising population, as more students are now seeking admission
Kariuki stated that shortage of enough classrooms had forced students to learn under the same roof despite being in different years of training a situation which he noted disrupted some of the lessons.
“Sometimes a student undertaking grade 1 training, is in the same classroom with those in grade 2, a factor that also demoralizes the instructors,” noted the principal.
Kariuki also said that in the near future it would be better if hostels and a dining hall were constructed to help accommodate students who travelled from far as well as offer an ideal setting where students can take their meals from.
The institution offers masonry, hospitality courses, electrical and mechanical engineering, hairdressing and carpentry among others.
Steven Ngugi, the students’ leader however, stated that some students enjoyed sharing of students pursuing similar careers though in different years of their training.
He said it was interesting to some of the students as those who were in lower grades got a privilege to learn and benefit from those ahead of them.
The principal further noted that the facility had only nine instructors who could not meet the ratio of the students’ population since they were forced to teach both practical and theoretical part of the syllabus. This takes a toll on the instructors as they had a lot on their hands to deliver as expected.
He added that inadequacy of instructors posed a challenge to students during practical sessions as the time allocated for them to seek clarification from the instructor never allowed them to be attended to as a whole population.
By Afwande Pauline/ Lydia Shiloya
