The government has released Sh30 million for the construction of Karura Ka Nyungu Technical Training Institute (TTI) in Kabete Constituency, with a further Sh40 million expected to be disbursed to facilitate completion of the project.
The institution is expected to expand access to technical and vocational education for young people in the constituency, equipping them with practical skills needed for employment, entrepreneurship and the country’s industrial development.
Deputy Prof. President Kithure Kindiki, who inspected the ongoing construction works on Wednesday, said the additional funding would support completion of the facility and enable learners to access technical and mid-level training closer to their homes.
Prof. Kindiki said the government was investing in technical training as part of efforts to develop the skills required to support Kenya’s industrialisation and broader economic growth.
The project will also include a student accommodation hostel with a capacity of 340 beds to be constructed at a cost of Sh170 million.
The hostel is intended to provide students with accommodation near the institution, reducing the need to travel long distances in search of housing.
The DP said the government was expanding student accommodation alongside educational facilities to create a more supportive learning environment.
“We do not want students to live far away from their institutions because this may expose them to alcohol and drugs, which can negatively affect their studies,” he said.
Prof. Kindiki added that access to appropriate accommodation was important in helping students concentrate on their studies and acquire skills that would improve their future prospects.
The DP was accompanied by the Kiambu Women Representative Anne Wamuratha, Kabete MP Githua Wamachukuru, Thika Town MP Alice Ng’ang’a, Kiambaa MP Njuguna Kawanjiku, Members of County Assembly, government officials and local leaders during the inspection.
The project comes amid a national expansion of technical and vocational education, with the government reporting a significant increase in enrolment in TVET institutions over the past four years.
According to Kindiki, enrolment in the institutions has risen from 297,000 students in 2022 to the current 718,000, reflecting increased participation in technical and vocational training.
He said the expansion was part of the government’s broader education agenda, which also includes the construction of classrooms and laboratories and the recruitment of teachers.
Meanwhile, the government has constructed 23,000 classrooms and 1,600 modern science laboratories, even as efforts to expand access to education continue across the country, Prof. Kindiki said.
He noted that technical training remained essential in preparing young people for the labour market and supporting national development, adding, “We are undertaking these projects for the benefit of our young people so that they can access education, acquire skills that will help them in life and continue contributing to the development of our nation.”
The Karura Ka Nyungu TTI project is expected to provide an additional training facility for youth in Kabete and surrounding areas once completed.
Kindiki said the government was committed to implementing its development commitments in education and other sectors, adding that investments in training institutions were intended to widen opportunities for young people.
The construction of the institute and its planned hostel form part of wider investments in Kiambu County that include modern markets, affordable housing and student accommodation.
The government says the projects are aimed at improving access to essential facilities while supporting skills development, employment creation and economic growth.
By Grace Naishoo
