The Principal Secretary for Vocational and Technical Training Margaret Mwakima has said the government has received funds from World Bank to upgrade polytechnics across the country.
She said the funds were raised through the East African Skills Transformation Project that is being implemented in three countries.
The Sh29 billion project will be implemented in Ethiopia, Tanzania and Kenya, Kenya will receive about Sh6 billion.
"The funds will be used to implement five projects in five institutions across the country," Mwakima said on Monday.
Coast Polytechnic will be upgraded to a center of excellence for seafarers and support the blue economy.
Kisumu Polytechnic will be upgraded to a center of excellence for textile industries while Meru Polytechnic will become a center of excellence for building and civil engineering.
The PS spoke at the Meru Polytechnic during the ground breaking ceremony of a building to house an administration block, workshops as well as training labs.
The Sh497 million building at the Meru Polytechnic will facilitate the training of students from not only Kenya but East Africa.
"The building at Meru Polytechnic will have twelve lecture rooms,five technical drawing rooms, five computer labs, nine workshops, nine labs, a library and one smart classroom," Mwakima said.
She said the project will take five years to complete.
The PS urged youth to enrol in youth polytechnics and other training institutes to get skills required to create employment.
She urged institutions to invest in infrastructure for students and lecturers welfare.
Investing in institutions will lead to growth of economies in surrounding areas.
(Edited by Bilha Makokha)
