The government has allocated Sh29 billion for development of technical and vocational education training centres , Education CS Ezekiel Machogu has said.
The ministry has developed the national TVET blueprint (2020-2030) for strategic coordination of the sector to boost youth empowerment and employment.
Machogu presided over the 10th graduation ceremony of 4,203 graduates at the Kisumu National Polytechnic on Friday.
HE said the government was committed towards improving education and will this financial year recruit 2,000 more tutors.
The CS announced that 70 TVETs will be equipped with state-of-the-art technology in collaboration with the government of China.
“The initiative will enable students to acquire the much-needed practical skills, market-oriented courses and be competitive globally,” Machogu said.
The rollout of the Competency Based Education Training (CBET) will mainstream industrial linkages and positive skills to the students through the dual training approach.
“The Kenya School of TVET will play a key role in ensuring that tutors are retooled to deliver the CBET, with a strong focus on practical skills for students,” Machogu said.
The retooling programme will enable tutors in TVETs to produce graduates with high practical knowledge and market-ready skills.
“The education reform agenda is premised on the recommendations of the Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms, which has articulated a clear agenda on the TVET institutions,” Machogu said.
He reiterated the government’s commitment towards investment and expanding the TVETs.
Currently, there are 24 national polytechnics including 13 recently upgraded, and more than 200 technical vocational colleges across the country.
He revealed that 16 new technical and vocational colleges will be constructed this financial year.
The plan is in line with the policy of establishing one TVC per constituency.
The government has so far established 113 Jitume Centres in various parts of the country to give unemployed youth an opportunity to earn decently through working for various international firms in the digital space.
The centres have been equipped with 10,780 devices with 370 tutors from various TVETs trained to support them.
In Kisumu National Polytechnic, the Jitume Centre has already trained 600 youths in digital skills and released them to the market, with a current cohort of 200 undergoing training.
The programme has been key in empowering the youth and putting money in their pockets.
“The youth trained at this institution are earning between Sh7,000 and Sh25,000 per week from the digital jobs they have secured online,” Machogu said.
He called on the KNP management to develop measures to promote the engineering and STEM courses to students, particularly girls.
Kisumu Deputy Governor Dr Mathews Owili said polytechnics have played a pivotal role in equipping learners with knowledge.
“As the county government, we have equally remained committed in supporting VTCs, positioning them to drive real change in our societies,” he said.
KNP chief principal Catherine Kelonye said 4,203 students graduated as artisans, crafts, diplomas and higher national diplomas.
Kelonye said out of the 770 engineering graduates (18 per cent of the total), 207 were girls which represented 4.9 per cent, and in the last 10 years 414 females have graduated in the course.
