By Asa Maina
The Nyeri National Polytechnic will benefit from Sh170 million from the national government over the next three years so as to improve its infrastructure.
The Principal Secretary for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Margaret Mwakima said the funding will be disbursed in tranches beginning this financial year. Mwakima said a total of Sh 320 million has been pumped into the polytechnic since 2012 and has been used to equip a milk processing unit which will train students in the dairy industry.
“Central Kenya is very rich in terms of dairy production and so we will start training for the market to be able to produce pasteurized milk, yoghurt, cheese and other dairy products,” she said.
Mwakima had visited the institution to assess the level of investment the government has put in the hospitality and tourism training programmes. She also assessed the smart classrooms, an investment made by the government in various national polytechnics to automate training and provide practical models.
“The equipping of these polytechnics has prepared students with the skills required in the job market,” she said
The funding will aid in the purchase of equipment for hospitality and tourism, building technology and civil engineering among others which will be used to mentor other learning institutions in practical training.
The department, Mwakima said, has partnered with industries to ensure that courses being offered are industry driven in terms of the curriculum and placement.
The partnership will also enable learners to obtain industrial attachment and boost manufacturing which is one of the government’s Big Four Agenda
Since 2013, the government has invested Kshs 36 billion in TVET institutions countrywide to facilitate infrastructure growth and purchase of modern equipment.
