China offers Sh13 billion to equip 70 TVETs in Kenya, Ruto says
President William Ruto during a meeting with Parastatal Heads and CEOs on Tuesday, March 26.
Kenya has been offered Sh13 billion from the Chinese government to equip Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) institutions, President William Ruto has said.
Speaking during TVT@100 Centenary Celebrations at Nyeri National Polytechnic, President Ruto said the funds follow his visit to China last year.
“On my way here this morning, I received good news from our friends in China who have offered Sh13 billion to equip 70 TVETs.
"The news is great as we celebrate 100 years. This is because if education is the key then TVET is the master key,” President Ruto said.
The Head of State said the Italian Government is also seeking to help equip 40 more TVETs to improve the quality of training and meet international standards.
President Ruto who recalled his stint as Higher Education Cabinet Secretary during the Grand Coalition Government, said TVETs had made huge strides to be in tandem with the country’s development goals and that the number of students in the institutions has grown from 40,000 in 2009 to 350,000.
“We need new skills, new competencies and new approaches to succeed in a changing world.
"In the past to go to TVET was like a punishment as it was meant for those who were not good in class but the perception has changed with 9000 students who had been admitted to university opting to join TVETs,” President Ruto said.
Flanked by Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu, Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga, Principal Secretary Esther Muoria, Nyeri National Polytechnic Chief Principal David Mwangi, board chairman David Gachuru and Nyeri Town MP Duncan Maina, President Ruto said TVETs were crucial in his government’s bottom-up economic model to accelerate growth.
While noting that the youth were at the center of his development plans, Mr Ruto said his government was keen on reducing the age of farmers to 60 and below, involving them in manufacturing and small and medium enterprises, special economic zones and digital superhighways.
“I am happy that this morning I went to the ICT hub and found a youth called Mike who said he has made Sh600,000 in the past six months from working online.
"I am not talking about youth in America but here in Nyeri,” President Ruto said.
Kenya, he said, has signed bilateral agreements with 19 countries to offer jobs to local youths with different skills.
He added: “For the first time you have an administration that is deliberately focusing on job creation. The youths should set their eyes on the horizon for opportunities both local and beyond our borders. Just like others have gold, we have human resource as our priority capital to give to the world.”
“I am hoping for a time when Kenyans will run Europe and America’s economy.”
An ICT hub, he said, will be established in every ward “to drive our economy through digital jobs.
Warning that the government will not relent on its war against illicit brews and drugs despite an outcry over the closure of bars, President Ruto said: “We can’t have a drinking nation but a working nation.”
“It can’t be business as usual. We are going to be firm. No one can die or become sick because of not being drunk.”
President Ruto said 20,000 tutors are to be deployed to all 272 TVETs.
President Ruto lit a torch to mark 100 years of TVET with Chief Principal Mwangi and Mr Gachuru saying it will go round the country before celebrations set for Kabete National Polytechnic on July 31. Mr Mwangi is also the Kenya Association of Technical Training Institutions national chairman.
“We have achieved a lot as TVETS under President Ruto’s stewardship,” Mr Mwangi said.
Mr Kahiga hailed President Ruto’s role in transforming TVETs since his stint as Higher Education CS which saw an end to three years of waiting before Form IV graduates joined universities and the introduction of Sh15,000 capitations for TVETs students.
“We will continue calling you Zakayo but keep going as you clearly stated your work is not because of the next election but the next generation,” Mr Kahiga said.
Responding to Mr Kahiga, President Ruto said action would be taken to ensure works at Ruringu Stadium were of good standards.
President Ruto further announced Sh10 million allocation for upgrading Nyamachaki Primary School.
He said the affordable housing project will be extended to build hostels for Nyeri National Polytechnic students to boost their safety.
Mr Machogu said TVETs were on course to plan five million tree seedlings annually to help the government meet its target of growing 15 billion trees.
MP Maina called for the introduction of High National Diplomas in TVETs to be at par with the changing technology adding that the institutions should also handle technical medicine courses.
He said 281 youth from Nyeri Town constituency had benefited from Sh7,000 bursaries each to register for courses at Nyeri National Polytechnic for May intake.
