Three colleges to be varsities, says Kamar

THE government intends to upgrade Kenya and Mombasa polytechnics and Kimathi Institute of Technology into fully-fledged universities to improve technical training. The move is aimed at preparing tertiary learners for employment, advanced training and career development in technical fields. This was revealed on Friday by the Higher Education minister Margaret Kamar while presiding over the Mbooni West District Education Day at Mbooni Girls High School in Eastern Province.

Kamar said although the government had expanded university education, it could not absorb the huge number of students qualifying for university education. Noting the need for technologists and technicians in boosting the country's economy, Kamar said: “Technical and vocation training will make it too easy for the graduates to secure jobs locally and abroad.” She said the two education ministries had finalised the development of a policy and legislative framework on education and training, which will soon be tabled before the Cabinet for adoption before being debated by Parliament.

Kamar disclosed that the Early Childhood Development education had been incorporated in the basic education system. “It will from now be financed by the national government and not by the county government as had earlier been enshrined in the Constitution,” she said. The new structure of education will now take 3.8.4.4 format; where learners will have three years of ECD, eight years in Primary and four years in high school as well as university.

Kamar urged parents to remain proactive in ensuring that their children access free education, saying this will enable them improve their socioeconomic prospects. “It is ridiculous to have free primary education yet have so many school going children out of school,” she said and appealed to students to desist from abusing drugs. “University students whose lives were broken up by alcohol and other drugs began the practice in high schools,” Kamar said, and urged them to avoid early temptations and escape their addictive effects.