The Nakuru County government will use Sh1.4 billion allocated to the Vocational Training, ICT and E-Government docket in the 2019/2020 financial year to revamp vocational training centres in its 11 sub-counties.
According to Governor Lee Kinyanjui, the county that is also eyeing a national polytechnic, will use Sh5.1 million on recruitment of vocational training instructors.
“My administration is committed to equipping the youth with the necessary and right skills that can help fight the high rate of unemployment and take part in the national government’s Big Four agenda,” said Mr Kinyanjui in an interview with the Nation.
He added, “For Kenya’s grand dream of food security, affordable housing, manufacturing and affordable healthcare to be realised, men and women must be equipped with the right skills.”
The county boss also revealed that his administration will use part of the amount to support the building of a national polytechnic in Nakuru and establish more digital centres to equip the youth with skills.
“Youth are a critical ingredient of the Big Four agenda. We have various projects coming up in Nakuru County including an industrial park, affordable housing and the dry port in Naivasha. I challenge the youth to join polytechnics and technical vocational training institutions to acquire skills so that they can take part in the multi-million development projects,” stated the governor.
Nakuru has 24 youth polytechnics spread across the county that offer various courses.
The total number of youth enrolled in the polytechnics across the county is approximately 2,000.
Nakuru has approximately 114 youth instructors in the polytechnics.
According to the Technical Vocational Education and Training Authority, there are two accredited public TVET institutions in the county.
These are Dairy Training Institute in Naivasha and the Rift Valley Institute of Science and Technology in Njoro.
There are 18 accredited private TVET institutions.
According to Governor Kinyanjui, the number of youth who join the polytechnics is projected to increase by 2022 due the ongoing expansion and revamping of the facilities through conditional grants and support by the county government.
The government is also constructing more public TVETS in Naivasha, Molo and Bahati.
Governor Kinyanjui is also seeking partnerships to develop research that will rejuvenate the textile industry in Nakuru County.
Already, Nakuru County government has embarked on an ambitious plan to establish information and communications technology innovation hubs in each of the 11 sub-counties by 2022.
Governor Kinyanjui’s administration, in collaboration with various partners, has set up innovation hubs in Subukia and Kuresoi South sub-counties which were launched early this year.
Hundreds of youth are set to benefit from the initiative which is a partnership between the county and the national government.
This comes amid plans by the Ministry of Education to establish at least one national polytechnic in every county and technical colleges in constituencies.
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