In recent years, the country has seen thousands of young people graduating from private and public universities every year with very little hope of employment opportunities due to shrinking job market.
This has led to many opting to try their luck outside the country, while others hustle within the country doing menial jobs that are not related to their field of study hoping one day an opportunity appear and they will secure decent jobs related to their field.
Due to unemployment, the youths find themselves in the lure of unscrupulous companies promising overseas jobs in which some have landed in the wrong hands of drug and human traffickers.
However, it is not all groom and doom as TVETs promise a bright future for those graduating from the institutions.
This unfortunate truth has seen quite a number of young people supposed to join universities opting for tertiary institutions so as to have hands on experience courses with hope of securing a place in the shrinking job market.
The situation being dire has seen the government move with speed to revamp Polytechnics and technical institutes so as to accommodate many young people leaving secondary schools who have failed to secure places in the available universities.
During a recent graduation ceremony for about 1, 500 students at Nyandarua National Polytechnic, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos revealed the government commitment in refurbishing the tertiary institutions without ignoring other learning institutions.
Migos said the government has placed TVET at the centre of its development agenda to drive three of Kenya boldest visions, the Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), the vision 2030 and the industrialization of Kenya.
“This commitment is not just achievable through rhetoric but in actions through policies, strategic investments and continued support for TVET institutions that plays a critical role in empowering individuals and building a skilled workforce,” noted Migos.
The CS said the government is targeting to grow the enrollment of trainees at TVET institutions from the current figure of 700, 000 to 2million by 2027.
“We are investing in modernising equipment and establishing more institutions for greater range and inclusion. Through the student centred funding model we have been 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.
He further said the Ministry of Education has undertaken strategic initiatives to rebrand TVET to make it appealing to the youths and counter negative perception, for instance organising public awareness campaigns emphasizing TVET as a pathway to lucrative careers and entrepreneurship.
His counterpart, Tourism Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano applauded the government for its effort to help resolve the menace of prevailing unemployment by helping the youths by sourcing for jobs overseas as well as revamping TVET institutions so as the youths may get the hands on experience and ready for self-employment as well as meet the demands of declining job market.
Miano particularly noted that the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife benefits from the graduates from TVET institutions especially in the field of hospitality and tourism.
However, with all these efforts the government should flex its muscles against unscrupulous companies promising overseas jobs to avoid the youths becoming suspicious of government overseas job opportunities.
The government should also endeavour to establish a conducive environment for the thriving of industries so as to create more jobs.
By Kimani Tirus
