Deputy President William Ruto has asked young people across the country to enroll for technical training to bridge the skills gap that Kenya is facing today.
Ruto on Saturday said the country is lagging behind in terms of development due to the skewed appetite for university education at the expense of the technical colleges.
The DP argued that equipping the youth with technical skills willgo a long way in helping the country realise its grand dream of food security, affordable housing, manufacturing and affordable healthcare.
“Competency-based training is what this country has lacked for long. Technical training colleges are going to address this,” he said.
Ruto maintained that there is a great need for the trainers’ capacity to also be strengthened to ensure product quality is in tandem with the industry demands.
The DP was speaking in Uasin Gishu County during the launch of the Kesses Constituency Youth Technical Training Programme.
“It is only a knowledgeable society that can contribute to the country’s development. By fixing more learners in technical colleges, we would be able to drive our development agenda,” he noted.
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Ruto was flanked by over 32 Members of Parliament, among them Governors Jackson Mandago (Uasin Gishu), Patrick Khaemba (Trans-Nzoia), Women Representatives Esther Passaris (Nairobi), Rahab Mukami (Nyeri), Wangui Ngirici (Kirinyaga), Faith Wairimu Gitau (Nyandarua), Gladys Shollei (Uasin Gishu), Joyce Korir (Bomet) and Sabina Chege (Murang’a).
Ruto said the government will offer more loans and bursaries to the youth in a bid to attract those interested to join technical training.
“Youth are a critical ingredient of the Big Four agenda. In the last three years, we have set up 130 new colleges that can host 120,000 learners,” he said.
He further called on political leaders to shun politics of empty stories, unite and work together.
“We must reformat our thinking, too, to be in harmony with our development plans. We cannot be talking of the Big Four agenda while leaders are preaching the politics of division and tribalism," he said.
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