The Kilifi County Government has launched a capitation programme for Vocational Training Centres (VTCs) aimed at attracting more young people to technical education and equipping them with marketable skills.
County Executive Committee Member for Education, Vocational Training and ICT, Felkin Kaingu, announced that the county had partnered with Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) to establish a Ksh20 million annual capitation fund to support vocational institutions.
Under the arrangement, the county government will contribute Ksh10 million annually, with KCB matching the amount each financial year. The initiative targets enrolling at least 10,000 youth in vocational institutions every year.
Speaking at Muyeye Vocational Training Institute in Malindi during the launch of the Kenya Blue Economy Skills Training (KBEST) programme, Kaingu said the county was committed to making vocational training more accessible and attractive to young people.
He noted that access to technical education would help steer many youths away from crime by creating pathways to employment and self-reliance.
“Many youth engage in criminal activities because they lack technical skills that can make them productive members of society. Once the capitation programme is fully operational, more young people will be encouraged to join the centres and gain skills,” he said.
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The KBEST programme, which introduces courses in Food Production and Baking Technology, is funded by Colleges and Institutes Canada.
Kaingu urged directors of the county’s more than 44 vocational centres to work closely with village elders to identify and mobilise young people for enrolment.
“Currently, we have only 7,500 students enrolled in VTCs, which is very low compared to the more than 300,000 youth in Kilifi County,” he said.
James Aldridge, Associate Vice President of Canada’s Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT), said the partnership between Canadian colleges and Kenyan VTCs would create opportunities for international education exchange programmes.
“We would love to have exchange programmes between students from Kenyan institutions and Canadian colleges every year because such exposure gives students global experience and prepares them to work anywhere in the world,” he said.
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Mary Munasia of Colleges and Institutes Canada said the partnership had also opened up employment opportunities for skilled youth locally and internationally.
She said research conducted through industry engagements revealed a huge demand for skilled labour across various sectors.
“The opportunities are many, but the challenge has been a lack of skilled manpower. That is why we came up with the Kenya Blue Economy Skills Training programme after the study,” she said.
Munasia encouraged Kilifi youth to take advantage of vocational training opportunities, particularly in the rapidly growing Blue Economy sector.
She noted that practical skills in hospitality, fisheries and marine technology are increasingly in demand and could help secure livelihoods while contributing to the county’s economic growth.
The four-year programme, funded by Global Affairs Canada, is expected to strengthen vocational institutions in Kilifi, improve graduate employability and support Kenya’s agenda of harnessing the Blue Economy for sustainable development.
By Juma Ndigo
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