Meru County has rolled out a major investment aimed at strengthening vocational skills training as part of a broader strategy to empower youth and build a skills-driven economy.
Governor Isaac Mutuma said the county is deliberately shifting focus from certificate-based learning to practical, market-oriented skills to prepare young people for employment opportunities locally and beyond.
The governor spoke at the county headquarters during the flagging off of training equipment and the release of capitation funds to Vocational Training Centres (VTCs).
Under the programme, the county released KSh 23.5 million in capitation funds to support 1,580 trainees across VTCs, cleared KSh 9.1 million in pending trainee bills, and distributed new training equipment to improve hands-on learning.
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Ongoing projects include the construction of modern workshops and classrooms to enhance the learning environment.
Governor Mutuma said priority will be given to high-demand courses such as plumbing, welding, information communication technology (ICT) and other technical trades aligned to current labour market needs.
In early childhood education, the county allocated KSh 54 million to support ECDE school meals, benefiting more than 59,000 learners.
Additional investments have been made in teacher welfare, recruitment, classrooms and learning materials, to strengthen the foundation for inclusive and quality education across the county.
Deputy Governor Linda Kiome said strengthening communities begins with sustained investment in a robust and inclusive education system.
She noted that the administration is addressing long-standing challenges affecting learning institutions, including land ownership disputes, shortage of qualified trainers, inadequate infrastructure and limited training materials.
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Kiome added that the county is also reviewing the implications of upgrading some Vocational Training Centres to Technical Training Institutes (TTIs) to ensure quality training and institutional stability.
“We are committed to strengthening our learning institutions for the benefit of our communities and the empowerment of our youth,” she said, adding that deliberate investment in skills development will expand employment opportunities and enable young people to contribute meaningfully to society.
By John Majau
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