TVET key to Kenya’s economic breakthrough, Ogamba says

Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) has emerged as a key pathway to industrialisation, job creation and inclusive economic growth, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos Ogamba has said. Ogamba said the Government was repositioning TVET as a central pillar of Kenya’s economic transformation agenda rather than treating it as a second-choice education pathway.

Speaking during the inaugural graduation ceremony of Kipsoen National Polytechnic in Keiyo North Sub-County, the CS said Kenya’s development required a skilled workforce of technicians, artisans, innovators and entrepreneurs capable of creating solutions and driving production. He said the Government was expanding access to technical training, reforming curricula and strengthening links between TVET institutions and industry to ensure graduates acquire skills that respond to the needs of the economy.

Graduates challenged to create jobs

Ogamba challenged the 983 graduands to look beyond formal employment and use their skills to identify problems and create solutions in their communities. He noted that sectors such as agriculture, construction, manufacturing, energy, ICT, transport and the creative economy presented numerous opportunities for skilled young people. The CS said graduates should view their certificates as tools for creating value rather than qualifications to be stored away.

“Do not wait for perfect conditions, start where you are with what you have, practice honesty, invest in continuous learning and embrace integrity, this will open doors that credentials may not,” he said.

Ogamba said the success of a National Polytechnic should not only be measured by the number of certificates issued but also by the enterprises established, innovations commercialised, jobs created and communities strengthened.

Government targets two million TVET learners

The CS said the Government had introduced several reforms aimed at making technical training more accessible and responsive to labour market demands. He noted that training programmes had been modularised into shorter units, enabling learners to acquire marketable skills faster while providing flexible pathways for further training. Ogamba also highlighted the integration of industry into training, saying learners are increasingly getting opportunities to gain practical workplace experience.

He said the Recognition of Prior Learning programme was also providing a formal pathway for Kenyans who acquired technical skills through informal training and work experience. According to the CS, Government investment in TVET has contributed to a significant increase in enrolment, which has more than doubled in recent years. The Government is targeting to train two million Kenyans in TVET institutions by the end of the year. Ogamba further said the Government was working on legislation to support full funding of students pursuing tertiary education.

He said the proposed framework would seek to ensure that students are not denied opportunities to pursue courses because of their financial backgrounds.

“Once the law is passed, no student will fail to undertake a course or a programme because of their background,” he said.

Polytechnic seeks engineering complex

Kipsoen National Polytechnic Principal Joseph Bittok called on the Ministry of Education to support the construction of a state-of-the-art engineering complex. Bittok said the facility would enable the institution to take advantage of its elevated status as a National Polytechnic and strengthen its capacity to support grassroots industrial innovation. Keiyo North MP Adams Kipsanai also urged the graduates to embrace continuous learning and discipline to remain competitive in an increasingly technology-driven economy.

Kipsanai particularly challenged graduates trained in agricultural extension to take their knowledge to local communities and help farmers adopt modern agricultural practices. He thanked the National Government for funding the construction of a modern student hostel at the institution, which is expected to be commissioned within the next two months. The MP further called for the acquisition of additional land to facilitate the expansion of the polytechnic as demand for technical and vocational training continues to grow. The inaugural graduation marks another milestone for Kipsoen National Polytechnic as the institution seeks to expand its training capacity and contribute to Kenya’s growing demand for skilled technical personnel.