By Dennis Bett
Technical and Vocational Training (TVET) Principal Secretary (PS), Dr. Margaret Mwakima has underscored the importance of country’s industrialization goal as envisioned in vision 2030.
She was speaking during the 10th TVET conference held at Eldoret Polytechnic and attended by scholars, researchers, trainers and trainees within the sector.
She said innovation, research and dissemination of information towards enterprise development is the baseline key towards industrialization.
The Conference attracted local and international experts to share their research findings that will be published in a peer-referenced journal.
“The peer-referenced journal will be able to inform and also form the policies and reforms,” she said.
The PS emphasized the importance of the youth engaging in innovation and being useful citizens by participating in developmental agenda for prosperity.
“TVET is the way to go and as far as progressing the ‘Big Four’ agenda, Vision 2030 and Standard Treatment Guidelines (STGs) is concerned,” she said.
Mwakima added that the best way to create employment and offer job opportunities for the youths is through imparting knowledge that will spur innovations
“If the youths are engaged and become part and parcel of economic drivers, the delinquencies experienced will reduce,” she added.
The PS highlighted that enrollment to TVETS will be achieved through the capitation fee offered by the government and bridge the gap through the Higher Educations Loan Board (HELB).
The PS called upon the youths to embrace TVET, adding that soon the Ministry will make a pathway for higher education in the sector.
Uasin Gishu Governor, Jackson Mandago, encouraged the ministry to continue Sh30,000 student grants and the HELB loans which has enabled students access education.
“We are practically seeing the impact of TVET at community level and my administration takes this very seriously,” he confirmed.
Mandago noted that TVETs is one of the most successful programs that are impacting on the youth by providing solutions to problems through innovations.
Chief Principal Eldoret National Polytechnic, Josephat Sawe, called upon the youth to embrace TVET as a key to achieving economic empowerment.
The conference attracted principals from TVET institutions in Garissa, Turkana and North Rift Region. Last year’s conference was held virtually due to Covid-19.
