Technical and Vocational Education Training outgoing Principal Secretary Margaret Mwakima has said they have been given a go ahead by the government to recruit 3,000 trainers for Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVETs) countrywide.
Speaking during the 17th, graduation ceremony at Eldoret Polytechnic, Dr Mwakima said the move will help address the huge shortage of trainers that TVET institutions are currently facing.
“We already have the approval to recruit 3,000 trainers and we want to bridge the gap that is currently at 6, 500 trainers,” the outgoing PS said.
“Our TVET institutions are constrained as far as trainers are concerned in a way that the funds we are giving in form of capitation is going to recurrent budgets rather than development projects due to many of the trainers being contracted by councils or boards.
We believe many of the TVET institutions will be able to utilize the capitation we have been disbursing to them for development and equipment to ensure we have skills among our trainers,” she added.
She said her ministry recently begun the promotion of TVET trainers and created an additional new job group that will benefit more trainers.
Dr Mwakima further affirmed that the government was committed to supporting TVET institutions financially for infrastructural development. She added the State would continue providing the institutions with relevant state of the art equipment to empower them.
“I urge the institutions to engage in more income generating activities to be financially sustainable as they have resources and equipment that, if well utilized, can generate income,” she said.
At the same time, the PS urged the graduates to use the knowledge and skills acquired at the institution to create employment for themselves and other youths.