The TVET sector have come together with the tea industry to push for a curriculum that will focus on the study of the crop and its cultivation.
This was among the resolutions arrived at after a three-day workshop dubbed “From Field to Cup”, which was organized by the Kericho Township Technical and Vocational College.
The Township Principal Shadrack Tonui said the participants had agreed to engage with the relevant curriculum developers to draft that curriculum, which he said was long overdue.
“The curriculum on the tea crop … should be taught and examined in Kenyan universities and other local institutions. Also it will attract attention internationally,” said Tonui, who is also the Secretary General of the Kenya Association of Technical Institutes (KATTI).
He regretted that the country, being the leading tea producer globally, does not have the relevant curriculum, pointing out that experts on tea should be graduating locally and leading in the tea research for the betterment of the industry.
During the workshop, experts drawn the technical institutes and those from the Tea Research Institute (TRI) and the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) agreed that there should be partnerships between the training colleges and the industry.
“Our collaborative efforts with educational institutions, industry stakeholders and international partners have been crucial in addressing the challenges and seizing the opportunities within the tea sector. The Tea Belt TVET Conference is an invaluable platform for sharing insights, exchanging ideas and forging partnerships that will shape the future of tea cultivation and commercialization,” said Director General of KALRO Dr Eliud Kireger.
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