The government will allocate Sh131 million to facilitate construction of a tuition block at Nyandarua National Polytechnic in its programme of upgrading national Polytechnics and technical institutes.
Education Cabinet Secretary, Julius Migos said the Polytechnic will also benefit with construction of 1,500 units hostels for accommodation of students under the affordable housing programme.
Migos who was speaking during the 2nd Nyandarua National Polytechnic graduation ceremony since it was upgraded to a national Polytechnic appreciated the institution for creating a good environment for the learners.
Nationally, the CS said the government is targeting to grow the enrollment of trainees at TVET institutions from the current figure 700, 000 to 2million by next year.
“We are investing in modernising equipments and establishing more institutions for greater range and inclusion. Through the student centred funding model, we are providing financial support in terms of scholarships and loans to students on the bases of need so that no one is locked out due to lack of resources,” noted Migos.
He further said the government continues to make strategic investments both in terms of resources and policies to ensure that there is a TVET system that plays its rightful role as the engine of social economic development.
On secondary education, the CS noted that the Kenya Kwanza government has made an allocation for construction of 1, 600 laboratories in schools without laboratories to prepare schools for the STEM Pathways in senior schools.
He promised he will ensure the public funds entrusted his ministry are utilised accountably adding that the Ministry is undertaking a verification exercise to guide the disbursement of capitation, an exercise that will be carried out across all levels of education sector to ensure that there is no wastage of resources through the use of wrong data.
“Correct data is not only useful in terms of capitation, is also helpful in making other informed decisions on aspects such as deployment of teachers and text books and provision of physical infrastructure,” added CS.
On the ongoing lecturers’ strike, the CS said the government has already honoured its obligation by releasing Sh2.73 billion to Universities for Collective Bargaining Agreement of 2017 – 2021 and by end of Friday the money was to be in their accounts.
He appealed to the dons to resume their duties and return to the constructive and structured process of addressing grievances as directed by the Employment and Labour Relations Court on Thursday.
The graduation which was graced by CS Tourism, Rebecca Miano and Principal Secretary State Department for TVET Dr Esther Muoria saw over 1,500 students graduating.
by Kimani Tirus
