Elgeyo Marakwet has tripled enrolment to vocational technical centres and village polytechnics in the last two years due to improved facilities and training manpower, Governor Wisley Rotich has said.
He said when he took over as the county boss, the enrolment was about 1,080 students, but there has been a more than 200 per cent increase to more than 3,800 students.
“Through a sustained improvement of our VTCs and sensitisation of our communities, especially the youth, we have managed to convince them that enrolling in a polytechnic is not degrading as was the notion before," he said.
Rotich said the VTCs will play a major role in empowering the youth with necessary skills to engage in self-employment. He said the national government and counties are implementing many projects where youth manpower would be required.
He spoke when he presided over disbursement of Sh95 million bursaries towards needy students in the county.
The ceremony at the Governor’s Square in Iten town was attended by MPs Adams Kipsanai (Keiyo North), Woman Representative Carolyn Ng'elechei and MCAs.
Rotich said the bursary disbursement had been done in a transparent manner to benefit deserving residents.
"I can assure you that there is no complaints whatsoever from the grassroots. Disbursing Sh95 million fairly is not a joke because this money is not pocket change anyway," he said.
The governor urged residents to engage in economic activities to combat poverty.
"There is nothing pleasant as being capable to pay your children's school fees comfortably without having to line up for bursaries," Rotich said.
Kipsanai commended the governor for appropriating a reasonable amount towards bursaries.
“It is about time we ask ourselves about value for money that we have disbursed towards both bursaries and infrastructural development in the learning institutions because we need output from all these," he said.
“Every parent should ensure a good foundation in the lives of our children through education. A good foundation doesn't mean enrolling them in expensive schools, it also means you instil discipline in them.”
Deputy Governor Grace Cheserek said beneficiaries would also be given free seeds to take home for planting.
The event was attended by education stakeholders including managers of VTCs, secondary school heads and officials from TSC, Knut and Kuppet.
