The Turkana County Government has directed all its eight vocational training institutions to overhaul their courses and align them with sectors that can drive wealth creation and end poverty.
Deputy Governor Dr. John Erus said the institutions must stop offering generic courses that prepare youth for non-existent jobs, and instead focus on industries with proven potential to transform the county.
Dr. Erus said research had identified fishing, livestock economy, green energy, minerals and extractives as Turkana’s economic breakthrough sectors.
Speaking during the opening of a two-day forum on the implementation of the County Vocational Training Strategic Plan in Kakuma, the Deputy Governor warned that colleges that fail to comply risk producing unemployable graduates.
“This is an intentional action to ensure vocational institutions strengthen the dominant economic activity in their areas,” he said.
He gave an example of the Lake Turkana fishing corridor, noting that research shows the stretch between Todonyang and Mugur alone can generate hundreds of millions of shillings in revenue.
“With that potential, institutions in Kalokol and Kataboi must begin to offer courses like boat making, fishing equipment maintenance and cold chain handling to stay relevant,” Dr. Erus said.
He said Turkana was borrowing from successful economies such as Germany and Italy, which aligned vocational training to dominant local industries.
The Deputy Governor added that the shift also positions Turkana at the centre of the national conversation on _’The Kenya We Want in the Coming Decades’_ spearheaded by President William Ruto.
“If we have already identified the sectors which, when properly exploited, could transform Turkana, all our eight vocational institutions must align by offering the right programs or risk becoming irrelevant,” he stated.
Educationist and ILO consultant Dr. Lawrence Odollo, who helped develop the strategic plan, said the goal will only be achieved if the strategy is properly funded to equip colleges with qualified trainers and modern equipment.
He advised the county to organize residents into cooperatives along the identified value chains to guarantee jobs and business opportunities for graduates.
“The dynamic nature of vocational training requires strategic and system-based thinking. The County now has a Strategic Plan to ensure each vocational institution effectively contributes to the local economy,” Dr. Odollo said.
ILO Technical Advisor Carolyne Njuki said aligning training with market demand had worked in Turkana before, citing the training and certification of artisans in cobblestone technology during the construction of the Lodwar Fresh Produce Market.
She said ILO would continue sharing labour market data to keep the training programs relevant.
Turkana runs eight vocational institutions in Lodwar, Kalokol, Kataboi, Lorgum, Lokichar, Lokori and Lokichoggio, with a total enrollment of over 2,400 youths, according to Chief Officer Stephen Eregae.
“Through this strategic plan we intend to elevate each of them as independent learning and examination centers aligned with the dominant economic activities in their areas,” Eregae said.
The forum, supported by the International Labour Organization (ILO), was attended by members of the County Assembly Committee on Education, Sports and Social Protection, county officials and development partners.
Technical and Vocational Training is a devolved function under the Constitution.
By Peter Gitonga
