We Will Ensure Challenges Affecting Technical Training Centers Are Addressed

Trans Nzoia deputy governor Bineah Kapkory has reiterated the county government’s commitment to working round the clock to ensure critical challenges affecting technical training centers are minimized.

Speaking today during the West Pokot and Trans Nzoia counties capacity building forum for vocational training centers Board of Governance’, BOG members, and center managers, the DG said the county is committed to upscaling the standards of technical training in the county.

Under the leadership of the organization ‘No One Out’, the training is being sponsored by the Italian government.

She said it’s only through training that thousands of jobless youth will be equipped with knowledge for self-employment.

“TVET plays a critical role in the development of a nation. Such benefits include high productivity, skill-spillover effect on the productivity of an individual, high foreign investment, competitiveness, creativity, innovations, improved quality of goods/services and consequently reduced unemployment and poverty in a nation,’’ she said.

She observed that Governor George Natembeya’s administration is planning to roll out an initiative that will ensure technical training in the county is enhanced to attract increased enrollment.

The deputy county chief said ongoing training will contribute a long way to boosting performance at the VTCs.
She decried inadequate ECDE and VTC training infrastructures, inadequate teaching, learning materials, tools, equip instructors.

She said that the administration would put in motion programs, with other stakeholders that would ensure VTCs are adequately equipped.

Some of the initiatives in the pipeline include the construction and equipping of ECDE centers of excellence per ward, the confirmation of 800 ECDE teachers, and the recruitment of 400 more.

She also said the county would procure teaching and learning materials for the ECDE centers and increase the Elimu bursary kitty from 25 million to 100 million shillings.

On her part, the county secretary Mrs. Truphosa Amere revealed that the county will introduce the Ukombozi scholarship scheme for bright but needy students.

It will also expand and equip the existing 32 VTCs and also employ more than 100 instructors to improve the instructor-to-trainee ratio of 1.25.

The CS further revealed that the Trans Nzoia administration will provide a marching fund to supplement the national government conditional grant-subsidized vocational training center support grant (SVTESG).

The county CEC for education, Julie Kichewen Rutto lauded efforts made by stakeholders in improving the standards of technical education in the county.

According to her, human resource development is the key to enhancing the living standards of people, and their productivity as well as promoting entrepreneurial skills and technological advancement.

“We urge many other partners to engage with the county government to help improve these centers by coming up with attractive programs that will improve the quality of training relevant to the job market,’’ he said.