The Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Education in charge of Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions Dr Esther Thaara Muoria has challenged graduates from technical institutions to adopt lifelong acquisition of skills.
Graduation at the end of college life is an initiation into a life of continuous pursuit of technical and digital skills at work and elsewhere in a bid to remain relevant in the World of Work, the PS said.
She reminded the graduates that there are rapid changes and those in the workplace should learn new skills required to operate the modern equipment.
Dr Muoria said with the ongoing adoption of the Competency Based and Education Training (CBET) acquisition of emerging skills remains paramount.
The government and other stakeholders in technical education, the PS assured had united to ensure entrenchment of the CBET in all technical institutions to align them with emerging technical challenges in labour and industrial markets.
She emphasized that the CBET model firmly guarantees acquisition of practical skills, knowledge and attitudes that are essential for effective performance in real world scenarios.
Courses in the TVET today should be frequently tailored to bridge the gap between education and employment by ensuring graduates are well trained from day one after completing their courses.
READ ALSO:
Principals overwhelmingly confirm there was cheating in 2023 KCSE
“Leaders of various technical institutions should be ready to adopt curriculum responsive to the needs of various industries’ needs by fostering close partnerships with players in different industries,” advised Dr Muoria.
“The world of technical work is undergoing significant transformation driven by technical advancements, globalization and changing needs at society level hence the need for a wide range of hands on competencies,” said Dr Muoria.
Some TVET institutions such as Muraga Vocational Institute in Tharaka Nithi have partnered well with stakeholders closer to the institutions’ two campuses in Maara Constituency by launching a dairy plant which acquires milk from local farmers for value addition and sale.
Pasteurized milk and well packaged yoghurt from the colleges’ Dairy Department remains one of the most popular dairy products in the Mt Kenya region competing with established industries.
The college has also identified various crops in the areas and has launched a potentially expandable fresh food drying solar powered unit where products are dried, packaged and distributed to the market.
Under the unit foods stuffs such as bananas, cassava and kales among others which are grown in large amounts but which have been going to waste over lack of preservation systems are dried and successfully preserved and packed for sale in the market.
By Robert Nyagah
You can also follow our social media pages on Twitter: Education News KE and Facebook: Education News Newspaper for timely updates.
>>> Click here to stay up-to-date with trending regional stories
