The government has been urged to put in place modalities for the funding of trainees in private technical and vocational colleges.
Making the passionate appeal was the Principal of Nishkam Puran Technical Institute David Nyabuto who regretted that a lack of a proper policy from the government was negatively affecting enrollment in the colleges.
“I want to appeal to the government to urgently develop policies to enable the funding of students who are enrolled in private technical and vocational colleges in the country. At the of the day the students who are enrolled in private colleges deserve government assistance like their counterparts in the public TVETs,” he added.
He was speaking during celebrations to mark 100 years of TVET existence in the country which took place at Uhuru Gardens in Kericho where he also said that the lack of a funding policy was negatively affecting the private colleges, some which were started long time ago and have played a pivotal role in the development of technical education.
TVET Coordinator/ Director for Kericho and Bomet Peter Cheruiyot said the appeal for funding by the private colleges was valid and will be channelled to the relevant organs of the government.
He took the opportunity to urge parents to enroll their school leaving children in the technical colleges and called for the attitude towards the technical education to be changed.
“A while ago, our parents had a negative attitude towards taking their children to be educated in village polytechnics. This should not be the case now since the government has come up with new technical and vocational colleges which are equipped with state-of-the-art equipment. Let’s take advantage of the equipment and the available funding at the colleges,” he said.
The director said the easiest way of earning an income was through the development of a skill.
KATTI Secretary General and Principal Township TVC Shadrack Tonui encouraged students who are joining universities to at least learn a skill before going there, saying the skills will enable them earn some income either locally or when outside the country.
The principal of Bureti Technical Training Institute Bernard Korir urged the government to give priority to tarmacking of the key roads leading to the various TVETs in the county.
“Most of the access roads to our TTIs need to be focussed on urgently,” he said.
Education CECM Judith Chirchir said the government will assist the technical institutions in the county through provision of funding and other relevant assistance.
She said the county had provided scholarships to 3,000 pupils who were enrolled in various vocational colleges operated by the county government.
A director of Kabianga Town Campus Dr Reuben Langat called for the county to empower youth to pursue courses in agriculture, which he observed will result in achieving food security targets.
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By Benedict Ngetich
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