The enrolment in Technical and Vocational Education and Training institutions is expected to hit the 300,000 mark by the end of this year, Principal Secretary Kevit Desai has said.
More than 190,000 have so far joined TVET institutions. This is a 130 per cent increment as more students seek admission.
Desai said Kenya needs at least 10 per cent of the student population enrolled in TVET institutions to ensure a competent workforce for national development.
The government has put in various interventions to steadily grow the enrolment to 1 million students.
Desai spoke in Kisumu on Wednesday when he closed an induction of boards of governors drawn from 18 Technical Training Institutions (TTIs) in Siaya, Homa Bay, Migori, Nyamira, Kakamega, Vihiga and Kisumu.
The PS said 15 new institutions would be established in the next financial year to cope with the increased enrolment.
“We shall (also) expand the existing institutions and equip them to meet the renewed demand for vocational and technical education." Some Sh64 billion is needed for the expansion of infrastructure, deployment of adequate tutors and more equipment
Desai said the department had secured an additional Sh2.2 billion from the National Treasury for capitation. The money has been disbursed to the institutions after the launch of the programme.
“The additional funds will cater for capitation for new students and bursaries.”
The government has begun recruiting 2,000 trainers who will be posted to the institutions.
The trainers, according to the PS, will be equipped with skills on competency-based education to ensure they graduate students active in development.
Desai told the boards to come up with innovative ways and programmes to help the government to realise the Big Four agenda.
Edited by Pamela Wanambisi
