Nakuru County director for Youth Affairs and Vocational Training Josphat Kimemia has called on youth to enroll in polytechnics.
Kimemia said people with technical skills stand good chances of securing employment than those searching for white collar jobs.
“There is the notion that polytechnics are dumping places for failures, a statement which holds no water. In fact, I think it’s prestigious to join a polytechnic,” he observed.
He said the county government will spend over Sh67 million to ensure all polytechnics in the region offer quality education this financial year.
The director said they have formulated a strategic plan in making polytechnics excellence centres where youth will be eager to enroll.
He said in the last financial year, the county spent Sh70 million in modernising all the 21 operational polytechnics in the county.
“A lot of the funds went in construction of classrooms, workshops and equipping the institutions with furniture and training tools,” he said.
“We inherited 19 polytechnics from the national government which were in a sorry state. We have managed to add two more and improve the existing ones to a great existent,” he added. He said all polytechnics are devolved to the counties.
Kimemia said with the support of members of county assemblies through ward development programmes they intend to establish 23 more polytechnics in five years time. “The major focus is to ensure that all youths in the county acquire skills.”
He said in future every sub-county will have a well equipped major polytechnic. Nakuru has 11 sub-counties.
Currently, 953 students from the county are enrolled in all the polytechnics. This number is expected to rise in March after the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education examinations results are released.
Kimemia attributed the low enrollment to stigma associated with polytechnics.
“This is why we are doing face lifting to all polytechnics and equipping them that youth will be comfortable joining them. Their past neglect has contributed to the scornful way they are looked at,” said the director.
Kimemia said this financial year they have also used Sh28 million in contracting 119 instructors. He, however, noted that there are inadequate trainers for polytechnics in Nakuru.
“On average polytechnics offer 12 courses hence it would require 24 instructors per a polytechnic but each have between 6-7 instructors,” he said.