PS Pushes TVET Path for Youth
Changamwe MP Omar Mwinyi urged the beneficiaries of the bursary program to remain focused on their studies and maintain discipline throughout their education.
Labour and Skills Development Principal Secretary Shadrack Mwadime. Photo: Courtesy.
By Anneth Chepng’etich
Young Kenyans should view technical training as a direct route to employment and entrepreneurship rather than a second choice after university, Labour and Skills Development Principal Secretary Shadrack Mwadime said Monday as the government stepped up its campaign to boost enrollment in vocational institutions.
Speaking in Changamwe Sub-County during the distribution of National Government-Constituency Development Fund bursaries worth Sh2.9 million to 800 Form Four students, Mwadime urged school leavers who do not qualify for university to pursue practical training through Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions or the National Industrial Training Authority (NITA).
The appeal comes as the government intensifies efforts to address youth unemployment by producing more skilled workers for both the local and international job markets.
“We appeal to them to join TVETs and NITA, where they will acquire skills that will enable them to start businesses and secure employment,” Mwadime said.
He said technical skills are increasingly in demand across various industries and noted that the government is opening more opportunities for skilled Kenyans to work abroad.
As an example, Mwadime cited tailoring opportunities in Australia, saying qualified workers can earn about Sh80,000 per month, demonstrating the growing international demand for vocational skills.
The principal secretary also warned young people against remaining idle after completing secondary school, saying inactivity often exposes them to drug and substance abuse and other social challenges.
His remarks reflect the government’s broader strategy of positioning technical education as a key pillar of economic growth, industrial development and job creation.
According to the State Department for Technical, Vocational Education and Training, Kenya has more than 2,300 registered TVET institutions offering courses in engineering, construction, information and communication technology, agriculture, hospitality and other technical disciplines.
The government has continued investing in the institutions by expanding infrastructure, modernizing equipment and aligning training programs with industry needs to narrow the country’s skills gap.
Changamwe MP Omar Mwinyi urged the beneficiaries of the bursary program to remain focused on their studies and maintain discipline throughout their education.
He called on parents to actively support their children’s academic journey and encouraged families to embrace vocational education as an equally valuable pathway to success.
“Education remains the most effective instrument for transforming lives because it empowers individuals with knowledge and broadens opportunities,” Mwinyi said.
Uasin Gishu Sen. Jackson Mandago echoed the call for greater parental involvement, saying the responsibility of raising disciplined and responsible young people should not rest solely with schools.
“We cannot leave the responsibility of parenting entirely to teachers. Everyone must play their role,” Mandago said.
The bursary program, funded through the NG-CDF, is intended to ease the financial burden on families while ensuring more students complete their secondary education and transition into higher learning or vocational training.
Education officials say increasing enrollment in TVET institutions remains central to Kenya’s plan to develop a highly skilled workforce capable of supporting industrialization, reducing unemployment and improving the country’s competitiveness in regional and global markets.
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