By S, KNA
Youth in Busia have been advised to enroll for Technical and Vocational Education training programs to gain skills that will enable them to earn a living in the near future.
Speaking in Nambale Sub County during the flagging off of students to various TVETS, Kakamega County Director of Integrity Youth Training Activities, (KIYTA), Josephat Wanyangu said the government has expanded and modernized TVET institutions to ensure the Kenyan youth get requisite skills for self-employment as well as be absorbed in various industries locally and abroad.
“The government has invested much in technical education. It has initiated the grant and sponsorship to students joining the technical institutions to undertake technical courses so that each child can have opportunity regardless of their social status. It is giving a sponsorship which caters for the fees,” he said, adding that KIYTA has been given the mandate by the government as a marketing entity to the local community.
The Chairperson Raising Hope Support Association (a local Community Based Organization), Jackline Barasa, highlighted that the organization has been working to help youth to apply for the sponsorship and enroll in different technical institutes.
“We have managed to take 375 students to different technical institutions including Bumbe technical, Ramogi Institute of Advanced Technology, Bungoma Polytechnic among others for the two years we have been working. This September we have a total of 180 students whom we are taking to schools,” she explained.
Barasa cited lack of information about the availability of government sponsorship as a challenge to many youth and parents stating that they have kicked off the sensitization campaign to ensure that members of the public get the information.
“We are also encouraging those students who didn’t get an opportunity to join university to start with an artisan course, get a certificate and move to another level to undertake a degree” she said.
She urged eligible youth and parents to take advantage of the government program to benefit from it.
“This program is sponsored by the government and we need to take advantage of it. Let those parents who have children at home to help them enroll through KIYTA and Raising Hope support association so that their children can be assisted on applying and get the opportunities. These are the courses that are marketable today in our country as a trained person will be able to create own employment, ‘she said.
The official explained that the role of a parent for a student in this program is to ensure they cater for rent and food for their children as the government caters for the fees, adding that they should also ensure they give guidance to their children even while at school.
Raising Hope Support Association patron Issac Omeri said there are a lot of emerging opportunities for the youth but require to be trained and qualified in specific courses.
“When a person is trained and has a certificate, there is a big chance to get a job that pays well as a professional. Lack of a certificate is exposing our children to hard work with less pay because they lack documents even if they have skills. We already have a memorandum of understanding with the TVETS and this enables our students to fully remain in school. We are also considering those who are more vulnerable from the community so that they can also get the opportunity, ‘he said.
Wilbrodah Barasa, a beneficiary parent to, revealed that the program has given her child an opportunity to undertake a technical course through sponsorship, reducing a burden for school fees on her family.
“As a parent, the burden of school fees has been carried by the government which I was a heavy burden. I want to thank the government for this project. My call to other parents is that let’s bring our children so that they get educated in our TVETS for their better tomorrow,’ she asserted
Elias Wabwire, a beneficiary who will join Ramogi Institute of Advanced Technology to pursue medical engineering urged youth to embrace the program and take the opportunity.
“This is a good opportunity for us as youth. Let’s all take it and benefit other than staying at home and engaging in actions that are not beneficial to our life” he said.
