Malindi Member of Parliament Amina Laura Mnyazi has urged youths in Kilifi County to pursue technical courses to empower themselves economically.
Speaking at Weru Technical and Vocational College (TVC) in Jilore Ward within her constituency, after receiving an assortment of welding and fabrication machines worth about Sh13 million from Canada, Ms Mnyazi said technical skills would help solve the problem of unemployment in the area.
She encouraged the youth to join Weru TVC, which she is pushing to be elevated to a national polytechnic. She is also seeking partners to equip the institution and enable it to impart unmatched technical skills to local youth.
Ms Mnyazi said her office, together with the board of governors, had embarked on an awareness campaign in Malindi, Magarini, Ganze, and Kilifi North constituencies to encourage the youth to join the institution.
“These efforts have borne fruit because the institution has been able to increase its student recruitment from 350 in February to more than 1,650,” Ms Mnyazi said. “Our aim is to have this TVC elevated to national polytechnic status.”
She added that the local National Government Constituency Development Fund board would sponsor 150 students to pursue courses of their choice at the institution next year.
Ms Mnyazi also urged investors to construct accommodation facilities at the adjacent Baolala trading centre to accommodate the growing number of students and instructors.
Weru TVC Principal Julius Kasuva urged school leavers to apply for technical training courses through the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) to benefit from government scholarships through the new education funding model.
He said that apart from offering technical skills to school leavers, the institution had also embarked on a programme of recognition of prior learning (RPL) with a view to issuing certificates to untrained artisans in the area.
Langobaya location chief Hesbon Kajimbi said the presence of the TVC in his location had led to a significant reduction in criminal activities as many youths were busy pursuing technical skills.
By Emmanuel Masha
