- Kaelo TVC is preparing for its inaugural graduation ceremony scheduled for September 25 in Meru County.
- More than 400 graduands are expected to receive certificates and diplomas during the historic ceremony.
- The college says enrolment has risen from about 300 learners in 2023 to nearly 1,500.
Kaelo Technical and Vocational College (TVC) is visibly turning into a beehive of activities as preparations for the inaugural graduation ceremony slated for September 25 this year gather momentum.
TVET Principal Secretary Dr Esther Thaara Muoria is set to preside over the ceremony to be held at the institution located in Laare, Igembe North Constituency, Meru County.
During the occasion, more than 400 graduands are expected to receive certificates and diplomas in various fields.
The graduation ceremony marks a major milestone for the institution, which was established in 2018 and has grown from a modest training centre into an institution with an enrolment of about 1,500 students.
Speaking to the media, the institute’s Principal Joseph Kimathi said the event would provide an opportunity to showcase the institution’s achievements and demonstrate its role in equipping young people with practical skills for employment and self-reliance.
Kimathi said TVET institutions had historically faced challenges attracting students because, unlike basic education, vocational training was not compulsory.
He noted the sector had undergone significant transformation since 2023 following the introduction of Competency-Based Education and Training (CBET).
“When we introduced CBET, the perception and uptake of TVET started changing. Our enrolment has risen from about 300 students in 2023 to the current population of about 1,500, and admissions are still ongoing,” he said.
He attributed the growth to increased publicity and recognition of TVET institutions as an important avenue for equipping young people with practical skills needed in the fast-changing labour market.
“Our institution has adopted a practical approach to training. It gives its students opportunities to apply the skills they acquire in class to real projects within the institution,” he said.
He revealed that Kaelo deliberately avoids outsourcing some jobs that can be undertaken by its trainees, including construction and other technical works, as a way of exposing them to real-life working environments and building their confidence.
“Where we have work that our trainees can do, we give them the opportunity instead of bringing people from outside. This enables them to practise their skills, gain experience, and build confidence that they can actually do the work when they leave the institution,” he said.
The approach is helping trainees move beyond theoretical knowledge and develop practical skills, teamwork and problem-solving abilities that could enable them to create employment for themselves.
The principal said the institution had positioned itself as a centre of excellence in mechanical production after being assessed and registered by the Kenya Motor Vehicle Repairers Association.
He said that in order to train learners and generate income, the institution will operate a garage and workshop where government- and privately owned vehicles from the Igembe region and neighbouring areas could be serviced and repaired.
“We are undertaking preliminary works to prepare the facility to start receiving vehicles. We have also established satellite garages in Laare and Maua, which will serve both as service centres and practical training facilities for trainees,” noted the Principal.
He added that the government’s directive requiring government vehicles to be serviced through TVETs would provide Kaelo with an additional source of income and give students an opportunity to gain hands-on experience.
Apart from the income generated through its technical services, the institution has other income-generating activities, including dairy farming and an acre of miraa.
Growth transforms surrounding community
The principal said the government, through the National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF), had supported the institution through bursaries, construction of a perimeter wall and gate, and other projects.
“The institute’s growing student population has also contributed to the economic transformation of the surrounding community. The locality has undergone positive economic transformation owing to the rising demand for accommodation, cyber cafes, hotels, shops, boda boda riders and other services. I urge all education stakeholders to work harmoniously in order to sustain the momentum,” said the Principal.
He advised parents to enrol their children at the institution to acquire skills before joining the competitive job market.
The principal said despite the growth, the institution still faces challenges, including inadequate workshops and infrastructure and a shortage of trainers.
Currently, the institute has about 40 trainers, with 25 employed by the Public Service Commission, while the rest are employed by the institute’s Board of Management.
He said the Board faced difficulties paying the trainers employed under it due to limited institutional income.
“Recently, we received 10 additional trainers through government recruitment. We still need more trainers because the student population continues to grow,” he said.
Kimathi called for increased government funding to enable the institution to expand its infrastructure, construct more workshops and recruit additional trainers.
Kaelo offers programmes in business studies, human resource management, mechanical production, automotive engineering, electrical and electronics, agriculture, cosmetology, fashion and design, environmental studies, and information and communication technology (ICT).
The institution works closely with other government agencies, including the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB), TVET Authority, Kenya National Qualifications Authority (KNQA), Curriculum Development, Assessment and Certification Council (CDACC), and the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS).
Kimathi said the institute’s growth demonstrated the increasing importance of technical skills in addressing unemployment and promoting economic development.
He urged young people to embrace vocational training, saying skills development was critical to achieving the country’s long-term development aspirations.
“Skills are the way to go if we are to achieve our development aspirations and prepare our young people for the future,” he said.
Inaugural graduation
The inaugural graduation is expected to bring together government officials, education stakeholders, industry representatives, parents, guardians and members of the community to celebrate the achievements of the first cohort of graduands.
He expressed confidence that Kaelo TVC, which is the only TVET institution in the locality, has now become a fertile ground for producing graduands, noting that the college has a national outlook since it admits learners from across the country.
The principal revealed that some learners are now deliberately shunning university and embracing TVETs despite having the mandatory qualifications, after the sector was given the recognition it rightly deserved.
Kimathi said TVET Principal Secretary Dr Esther Thaara Muoria will soon launch a solar project at the institution, with trainees taking part in its installation.
“The solar project has a warranty of 30 years. It means power blackouts will be a thing of the past. The government has directed us to undertake the greening programme to enable it to attain its target forest cover. We are committed to transforming Kaelo TVC into a centre of excellence,” said Kimathi.
He said the institution has two motor vehicle garages, one for training while the other serves as a source of income for the institution, describing it as a unique project.
The two garages are situated in Maua and Laare towns.
He said Kaelo TVC has two dairy cows that supply the institution with milk.
“We anchor our strength in the garage. It is the source of our strength. The government directed that all vehicles should be repaired at the institution. We are now preparing to employ workers who will come from within the institution,” said Kimathi.
He lauded area MP Julius Taitumu for his continued support in transforming the institute’s infrastructure, saying he assisted in the construction of a perimeter wall through NG-CDF.
He said the institution has a national outlook because it admits students from as far as Bomet, Rift Valley and Moyale.
Kimathi called on the government to give priority to the employment of trainers to ease the burden parents face when paying trainers employed by the Board.
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“Vision 2030 is our main driver. We shall work harmoniously with all education stakeholders to attain our target,” said the Principal.
By John Majau
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