Principal Secretary for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), Dr Esther Thaara Muoria, has urged Coast Region TVET institutions to align their training programmes with emerging massive industrial opportunities, particularly those linked to the proposed Dangote East Africa Petroleum Refinery Project in Lamu
Muoria spoke during a World Bank Implementation Support Mission visit to the Kenya Coast National Polytechnic's Centre for Maritime and Port Logistics in Waa, Kwale County, where officials were assessing progress under the East Africa Skills for Transformation and Regional Integration Project (EASTRIP).
Muoria said the institution should invest in relevant programmes that give trainees industry-ready skills and prepare them for jobs arising from regional industrial development.
The mission brought together representatives of the World Bank Group, the State Department for TVET through the National Project Coordinating Unit, and Kenya's five regional flagship TVET institutions. They reviewed project achievements and set priority actions ahead of the project's closure.
Muoria praised the quality of infrastructure at the Kwale campus but challenged the institution to ensure that the facilities lead to relevant training and lasting benefits for learners.
She also witnessed the issuance of a registration certificate for the new centre by the TVET Authority, a milestone in its institutional development. The registration gives the centre a foundation to strengthen its programmes and expand its contribution to the skills needs of the coastal region.
As EASTRIP nears its end, the PS asked the institution to put in place a clear operational sustainability plan to protect the investments made under the project. She stressed the need to maintain the facilities, deepen partnerships with industry and sustain high-quality training that responds to changing labour-market demands.
She said the project's success will depend on whether the institutions can sustain their gains beyond the funding period and produce graduates whose skills translate into jobs and higher productivity.
The Kwale centre's focus on maritime and port logistics puts it in a strategic position to support skills development in sectors critical to trade, transport and industrial growth. Muoria said TVET institutions must move beyond infrastructure and deliver market-driven training that supports Kenya's industrialisation agenda.
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