County governments have been encouraged to foster collaborative relationships with the Technical, Vocational Education, and Training (TVET) institutions in order to tap into the invaluable research and innovations offered by the institutions for transformative economic growth and development. The Principal Secretary (PS), State Department for Technical, Vocational Education, and Training, Dr. Esther Thaara Muoria, made the call during the 2nd International Research Conference of the Kitale National Polytechnic held on Tuesday. ‘In today’s interconnected and fast-paced world, we are facing challenges that demand transformative approaches. The role of TVET in shaping the future workforce cannot be overstated,’ stated PS Muoria. The PS underscored one of the main objectives of the TVET institutions, which is the bridge between education and employment, thereby equipping individuals with practical skills that drive sustainable economic growth. She further observed: ‘By embracing collaborative research and innovation, devolved units can harness the potential of TVET to meet the demands of a rapidly changing job market.’ Dr. Muoria noted the world was operating within a space where there was rapid technological development that called individual countries to be abreast with skills development in order to ensure youths remained relevant in the job market. Towards this end, I am glad that the State Department for Technical and Vocational Education and Training has redesigned the curriculum and that we are currently implementing the Competency-Based Education Training (CBET) to enable our TVET graduates to acquire relevant hands-on industry skills,’ she disclosed. She hailed the organisers of the Tuesday research and innovation conference, saying the conference provided an opportunity for stakeholders to share knowledge, experiences, and best practices that, in a nutshell, would help develop effective strategies to upscale TVET and ensure its relevance in the face of evolving technological advancements. Addressing the meeting, Trans Nzoia CECM for Education Mr. Samson Ojwang assured the PS of the devolved unit’s commitment towards working with the state department for TVET. He cited the county administration’s decision and plan for the allocation of land space to several Technical Training Institutes (TTIs) for infrastructural expansion programmes as well as bursaries to the students. Ojwang used the occasion and urged area youth to enrol in large numbers at the over 30 TTIs spread across the county, which he described as becoming more attractive courtesy of the hands-on industry skills approach model of learning.

Source: Kenya News Agency