The Tana River County Government has set aside Sh250 million towards vocational training this financial year.
Area Governor Dhadho Godhana said the funds would be used to construct four new vocational training centres as well as rehabilitate and equip the existing ones.
He said this was meant to equip the youth with technical skills and enable them contribute positively to the county’s economic wellbeing instead of idling around and joining criminal groups.
The governor made the remarks in a speech read on his behalf by his deputy, Mr. Salim Kea Batuyu Friday, during the graduation of 91 youths who had gone through short courses under the sponsorship of Community and Progress Youth Empowerment Institute (CAPYEI).
Godhana said his government recognized the important role vocational training plays in the economy and its potential in meeting the national goals of education as well as the Vision 2030 development aspirations.
“Millions of shillings have been invested in massive infrastructure development in all the three sub counties. We are constructing four more new vocational training centres, providing modern tools and equipment and modernizing the existing training centres and we do not expect the facilities to be idle,” he said.
The governor urged the residents to discard the belief that vocational training was meant for education dwarfs, saying the future of the county would depend on skilled human resource produced by the sector.
County executive for finance Matthew Babwoya said the devolved unit would invest a lot in the youth and instructed various procurement entities to adhere to the 30 percent contract provisions for the women, the youth and persons living with disabilities.
He said the county government would avail funds aimed at equipping vocational training centres in the county with Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) facilities to enable learners cope with the modern ways of doing business.
“Through the Ajira programme, we will allocate monies to equip our vocational training centres with ICT materials and equipment to make sure that the youth who are trained in the field can take advantage of the Ajira programme to make a living for themselves,” he said.
The county executive for education Abass Kunyo said his department was doing a lot to improve the quality of vocational training in the county and encouraged parents to enroll their students to the centres.
Recently, all the vocational training centres in the county organized a skills exhibition at the Hola Stadium to showcase the competencies their students had acquired.
He said the national and county governments had already spent about Sh91 million this financial year in the vocational training sector, which included the provision of infrastructure and instructional materials.
Kunyo, who is also in charge of sports and culture in the county, said the department would soon start a football league sponsored by the Governor as well as organize an elaborate cultural festival that will bring together all communities in the county.
By Emmanuel Masha
