The Kenya Kwanza government is banking on Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) institutions to produce quality labour that will improve the country’s export earnings.
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has emphasized on the government’s commitment in improving the 223 technical training institutions and 24 national polytechnics so as to boost the quality of labour exported from the country.
Gachagua, who graced the 4th graduation ceremony at Nyeri National Polytechnic yesterday, said that they have joined hands with other development partners in equipping the public tertiary institutions so as to produce labour for local and international markets.
“Exports from coffee, tea, avocado and other agricultural sub-sectors in which we are implementing reforms are on the rise. The quality of export of labour from our country is bridging the gaps in other countries, hence, the need to sustain the supply through improved institutions,” the DP said.
“This will further strengthen foreign remittances alongside export earnings to improve our foreign currency. Indeed, a strong export portfolio of our country means a very stable economy,” he added.
He said that President William Ruto’s administration will continue entrenching and improving the quality of TVET institutions at the grassroots so as to empower youth to contribute to nation building.
Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu said his ministry is exploring partnerships globally so as to facilitate labour export and open up new avenues for skilled workforce in the international market.
“Currently, 315 TVET agricultural trainees will be heading to the United Kingdom under the HOPS-UK Seasonal Workers program as from May 2024. Last year, we only had 50 trainees who worked exemplarily. That is why our country was entrusted to send more trainees this year,” Machogu said in a speech read on his behalf by TVET Principal Secretary Esther Muoria.
He said the State department for TVET has so far reskilled 4,840 trainers on the new Competency Based Education and Training (CBET) program. The reskilling has been done at the Kenya School of TVET.
The CS said the government has embarked on streamlining operations in all TVET institutions by ensuring that the institutions will be admitting trainees in all semesters of the year as opposed to the conventional one major annual intake.
“It is appreciated that the government, through Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) will provide funding to applicant trainees who enroll during the various intakes. This is will not only ensure that there is a constant output of skilled manpower at any one given time in a year, but also promote optimal use of equipment in our TVET institutions,” Machogu said.
Nyeri National Polytechnic released its first group of 4,823 graduands who were trained under the CEBET program.
The institution’s chief principal David Mwangi said: “The government has never wavered in its commitment to improving education across in its pursuit of excellence. Significant progress has been made in TVET through infrastructure improvement, provision of contemporary equipment and hiring of skilled instructors”.