Elgeyo Marakwet Deputy Governor Grace Cheserek has called on parents to support students pursuing technical and vocational education, saying the sector plays a critical role in innovation, job creation, and economic transformation.
Cheserek spoke during the North Rift TVET Trade Fair and Innovation Exhibition held at Kipsoen National Polytechnic in Elgeyo Marakwet County, where 28 Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions from across the region gathered to showcase student innovations and practical skills.
The two-day exhibition brought together trainees, trainers, and education stakeholders to display projects in engineering, Information Communication Technology (ICT), agriculture, fashion design, entrepreneurship, and other technical fields.
Addressing participants at the event, Cheserek said technical training equips young people with practical competencies needed to solve societal challenges and drive the country’s development agenda.
“Technical training helps guide the transformation of our country. Trainees from technical institutions are the people who will solve societal challenges through innovation and the skills they acquire,” she said.
She dismissed the long-held perception that vocational institutions are meant for academic failures, emphasizing that TVET programmes provide pathways for innovation, career progression, and employment opportunities both locally and abroad.
“To the parents, vocational training is not for failures but for students who want to innovate. After completing technical training, learners still have pathways to progress in their careers,” Cheserek added.
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The Deputy Governor noted that graduates from technical institutions are better positioned to benefit from labour mobility initiatives such as the Kazi Majuu programme because of their hands-on skills and industry-oriented training.
She further encouraged students to register with the National Employment Authority to increase access to employment opportunities within Kenya and internationally.
Cheserek also assured parents that the government had subsidized tuition fees in TVET institutions to make technical education more affordable and accessible to more learners.
Speaking at the same event, Kipsoen National Polytechnic Principal Joseph Bittok urged young people to embrace technical training, noting that practical skills can help address unemployment and promote self-reliance.
“The solution to unemployment in our country is for the youth to acquire practical skills such as plumbing, fashion design, hairdressing, and other technical courses that can enable them to employ themselves,” he stated.
Bittok reiterated that TVET institutions are open to all learners interested in acquiring employable skills and should not be viewed as a last option for those who fail to join universities.
“It is not necessary for everyone to join a university. TVET institutions are for everyone willing to acquire skills and knowledge. These institutions are not for failures; they are centres for job creation and innovation,” he added.
He further noted that the trade fair was aimed at creating awareness on the importance of technical education and skills development among young people and communities.
“The objective of the TVET trade fair is transforming tomorrow today through TVET skills. We are offering various courses, and we have 28 institutions from the North Rift region participating in this exhibition,” said Bittok.
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Elgeyo Marakwet County Executive Committee Member for Education and Technical Training Purity Koima said technical and vocational training had become a key pillar in the government’s strategy for economic empowerment and youth employment.
“Technical skills are very important because once acquired, one can either get employed or become self-employed. Technical institutions are not for failures but for those who want to pursue the technical pathway,” said Koima.
She revealed that Elgeyo Marakwet County currently has 18 institutions under the TVET programme and said the county government continues to invest in infrastructure and training initiatives to improve access to technical education.
Bittok also noted that TVET trainees are benefiting from subsidized fees, Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) support, and bursaries provided by both national and county governments.
The exhibition featured a range of innovative student projects and live demonstrations highlighting the practical knowledge and competencies acquired through technical training.
Education stakeholders attending the event emphasized that strengthening TVET education will be essential in advancing Kenya’s industrialization agenda, reducing unemployment, and equipping youth with skills relevant to the modern labour market.
By Kimutai Langat
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