• Kinuthia said skilled youths are the foundation for job creation and a strong workforce for the achievement of the Big 4 agenda.
• He called for the specialisation of courses and creation of centres of excellence in those areas.
President Uhuru Kenyatta is committed to ensuring youths acquire technical training and skills, Education Chief Administration Secretary Zack Kinuthia said Tuesday.
Kinuthia said skilled youths are the foundation for job creation and a strong workforce for the achievement of the Big 4 agenda.
“After the success of the 100 per cent transition from primary to secondary schools, the youth leaving secondary schools should take advantage of the adequate training opportunities in vocational training centres and technical training institutes,” he said.
Kinuthia spoke during a tour of Leshau and Mirangine vocational training centres in Ndaragwa and Ol Kalou constituencies respectively.
He called for the specialisation of courses and creation of centres of excellence in those areas.
“Like here in Leshau, they want to make it a centre of excellence in welding. Let others go for dressmaking, mechanical, engineering and others. We shall boost them with the necessary resources to ensure they succeed,” he said.
The CAS was accompanied by Nyandarua Education executive Stephen Njoroge, his ICT counterpart Mary Ann Gathigia and county director of education Njogu Njoroge.
The Education executive said Kinuthia’s visit came days after a similar tour by Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha on Saturday.
Magoha announced the elevation of Nyandarua Institute of Science and Technology to a national polytechnic.
“The governor lobbied the President to have the institute upgraded to a national level during the Mt Kenya leaders meeting at Sagana State Lodge last year. We are happy that this has been actualised,” Njoroge said.
He said that VTCs and TTIs are key drivers to youth employment.
The Governor Francis Kimemia administration is keen on equipping schools and providing other requirements, including drilling boreholes and providing adequate land, for them to succeed, he said.
Gathigia said the county is grateful for the support the President has continued to offer the devolved unit.
She said her department is keen on ensuring all the institutions in the county have adequate ICT equipment.
Njoroge said that Nyandarua is working on a policy to have various VTCs specialise in their strong areas to ensure that the centres offer service, production and training.
(edited by o. owino)