Mwereni Ward Member of County Assembly (MCA) Manza Beja has called for the full address of the issue of the low enrollment of students in Vocational Training Colleges (VTCs) within Lunga-Lunga sub-county, Kwale County.
Speaking during a community and elected leaders’ forum held at Kilimangodo town centre, Beja noted that despite massive investment by the county and national governments in establishing such institutions, the facilities remain underutilized.
“I am shocked that you want another VTC, yet the ones we already have around are struggling with low student numbers,” he said.
Beja’s sentiment comes in response to calls by residents for the construction of a new technical training school in Kilimangodo.
He said the situation is worrying, especially at a time when technical skills are highly needed in the job market and the government has been actively advocating for youth to enroll in technical and vocational training as an alternative to formal university education.
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According to Beja, some of the existing VTCs in the region, such as those in Mwena, Manda, Mtumwa, Kasemeni and other neighbouring wards, have the capacity to accommodate more learners but continue to register low intake.
He said constructing a new VTC would be a waste of time and public resources since the existing ones are underutilized and lack sufficient student enrollment.
“There’s no point in building more training centres when the ones already established remain empty. We should first find out why students are not enrolling before investing in new infrastructure,” he said.
The MCA emphasized the need for community sensitization and support programs to encourage youth to join the available vocational institutions, rather than pushing for new projects that may not solve the root problem.
He urged parents and guardians to take advantage of the available institutions, noting that most of them are heavily subsidized and offer marketable courses, including plumbing, tailoring, masonry, welding, hairdressing, and ICT.
“It is sad to see our youth loitering around jobless while there are opportunities in these institutions that can help them gain valuable skills for self-employment,” he said.
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Beja also called on the education department to conduct community awareness campaigns to sensitize the public on the importance of technical education, which he said is key to solving unemployment challenges, especially among the youth in rural areas.
However, residents of Kilimangodo insisted on their demand for a local VTC, arguing that distance and transport costs are some of the barriers preventing many students from accessing existing institutions.
“Our children are willing to study, but the nearest VTCs are far, and not everyone can afford daily transport or boarding,” said Beja Mnyika, a community elder.
The community has vowed to continue engaging both county and national government officials to ensure their request for a new vocational centre is considered in future development plans.
BY OMAR SHABAN
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