Category: Education

Kisiwa Technical Training Institute, Bungoma has been crowned as the winner of the just concluded Western Region TVET fair skills held at the Busia polytechnic grounds.

The institution bagged several trophies in different categories, where Matili TTI from Bungoma County emerged as the first runners up, while Sigalala National polytechnic was honored for having presented various skills, innovations, robotics and research papers.

Wanga TVC was pronounced as the most improved in the TVET 2024 competitions.

Speaking to KNA immediately after the announcement of the results, Kisiwa TTI Research and Innovation Coordinator Sammy Mabele expressed excitement, adding that it was the first time for the institution to be the champions of the region.

‘We are so excited and very proud,’ he said, expressing gratitude to the institution’s principal and the Board of Governors for giving the much needed support to the innovators and exhibitors.

Mabele expressed confidence that the institution will be the champions at the N
ational level.

The Dean of Students at Matili TTI Arthur Amunga expressed joy stating that the institution has won more than eight trophies hence emerging second best.

Amunga thanked the Institution’s Principal for sponsoring all the projects that they displayed in the TVETs fair.

He appreciated their innovators and exhibitors for their hard work and commitment to the projects.

‘We actually bought the required material in time and the students worked on the projects in good time under the supervision of their instructors and trainers,’ he said.

The forum that brought together 29 TTIs and one TVC was presided over by the Western Regional Director of TVETs Joseph Sunguti.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Religious leaders from the Lower eastern region have commended counties that have invested heavily in Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) terming the move a big boost for basic foundation.

The clergy speaking to the press at a Machakos hotel after holding a citizen led engagement forum, lauded governors in the region for improving ECDE infrastructure in their respective counties.

Led by Lower Eastern Coordinator, Major Leonard Kasyoka from the Salvation Army Church, the clergy urged counties to introduce school feeding programs in ECDE centers to increase school retention of pupils.

‘We take note of the good initiative to advance ECDE learning across the counties,’ said Major Kasyoka.

Major Kasyoka particularly hailed Machakos County Government for introducing the milk programme in ECDE dubbed ‘Maziwa ya Mama’ which he said besides increasing the number of learners will also boost their nutrition.

He asked other counties in the region to replicate the initiative in their respective counties.

Th
e church leaders also commended Makueni and Kitui counties for employing ECDE teachers on permanent and pensionable terms saying the move will improve the quality of education in the region.

‘We applaud Kitui and Makueni counties for upgrading their ECDE teachers’ salaries and employing them on permanent terms,’ said Major Kasyoka.

He added that the church acknowledged the efforts county leaders have made towards fulfilling the promises made to the people and said they were looking forward to progressive development in the coming years across the counties.

Through proper budget implementation, the clergy recommended that the county treasuries should ensure timely preparation and submission of financial reports to the office of the controller budget.

They further recommended enhancement of value chains through recruitment of experts to drive economic development besides supporting local communities to establish sustainable enterprises.

The church leaders also urged the counties to address pending bills to
ensure genuine bills are paid promptly by the end of the financial year and called for timely disbursement of county funds by the national government.

The religious leaders from the lower eastern region were drawn from African Brotherhood church (ABC), Salvation army, Pentecostal Evangelistic Fellowship of Africa (PEFA), Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK) Full gospel and the Kenya Assemblies of God (KAG).

Source: Kenya News Agency

Over 500 needy students from Murang’a county have benefited from bursaries worth over Sh5 million from the office of the local women representative.

The students drawn from vulnerable and underprivileged backgrounds will have their secondary and tertiary institutions education sponsored.

Speaking at Kimorori grounds, Kenol Tuesday, Murang’a County Women representative Betty Maina observed that her office is committed to ensuring that all students from underprivileged backgrounds have an equal chance to education, which is a right for every Kenyan child.

‘Today 506 students in colleges, tertiary institutions and secondary schools, including those with disabilities receive a total of Sh 5.2 million to cater for their studies,’ she said.

‘Education is the key that will help them unlock all the doors of opportunities available to them,’ she added.

The women representative further implored on the students to work hard in their studies.

‘Do not get into alcohol, drugs and substance abuse as that will derail y
our intention to transform your life and that of your families,’ she implored.

At the same time, Maina called on the Ministry of Education to ensure that the capitation meant for schools gets there on time.

‘We have witnessed the government releases a certain percentage for a school term and withholds the rest,

the next term they release a certain amount for that term without clearing the previous terms capitation grant, which ends up being a burden on the school heads who have to run the schools’ observed Maina.

One of the beneficiaries, Elizabeth Wamuyu applauded the women representative for the initiative noting that her child was able to remain in school despite the harsh economic times

‘My child is in Karugia secondary school and has benefited through the bursaries after I was unable to pay her school fees at Kigumo girls high school,’ she said

She continued ‘I am grateful that she will now be able to go on with her studies and realize her dreams’

Wamuyu underscores the need for the government to
continue supporting the education as most of the men are wasting away in drinking dens as the women do menial jobs for survival.

‘It is the children that suffer, but with such initiatives we have hope that they will be able to pursue their dreams and ambitions,’ she said.

On her part, Rose Mwihaki another beneficiary whose child is living with a disability said, ‘My child has cerebral palsy and had not joined school at the age of 12 because getting the finances to take him to a special school had proved futile.’

But with the bursaries, he has joined a special school, added Mwihaki, while urging parents with special children like her not to shy away from seeking help and enrolling them for learning.

‘Most of the children with special needs remain hidden due to societal stigma and I urge the government to ensure they also access education,’ she pleaded.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The Magarini National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) has launched a disbursement of educational bursaries worth Sh42 million.

Parents, school principals, and student’s expressed relief for area residents struggling with poverty, praising Member of Parliament Harrison Garama Kombe for prioritizing education.

Mr. Kombe, who is the fund’s patron, said Sh18 million benefit 3,000 students studying in schools within Magarini constituency, while the remaining Sh24 million would benefit students studying elsewhere.

He said the bursary kitty within the annual allocation had been increased from Sh25 million to 68 million to cater for the needs of students, most of who had lost hope of getting education.

However, he defended the government from accusations that the funds are not released in time saying the release of the bursaries depended on availability of funds, which come from revenue collection that takes time.

The occasion also saw the launch of the Magarini NG-CDF strategic plan 2023-2027,
which earmarks projects that will in the five years cost at least Sh945 million to fund projects in the education and security sectors within the constituency.

Among the projects to be implemented, according to Mr. Kombe, are the construction of a Kenya Medical Training College campus in Bungale location of Marafa Ward, an agricultural institute in Ramada location of Adu ward, the Magarini Sub County Headquarters in Jais area of Marafa ward as well as the construction of new schools and rehabilitation of existing ones.

Ms Grace Kimitei from the NG-CDF Headquarters lauded the Magarini NG-CDF board for being the 15th out of the country’s 290 constituencies to launch their strategic plan covering the years 2023 to 2027 and urged the rest to follow suit.

She noted that NG-CDF was initiated to complement the work of the National Government and called for the full implementation of the strategic plan in order to help the Kenya Kwanza government to accomplish its agenda for the country.

Magarini Deputy Commissio
ner lauded the NG-CDF board for agreeing to construct the Sub County Headquarters saying the Deputy County Commissioner (DCC) John Thiong’o and his staff have been working in makeshift shelters since the sub county was created almost 20 years ago.

The administrator advised the Legislator to consider constructing the Sub County Headquarters due to the potential dangers of snakes or falling structures. The headquarters will be relocated from Marafa to Jais, providing relief to staff and mwananchi seeking services, according to the source

Locals who talked to journalists thanked Mr. Kombe and the NG-CDF for the bursaries and asked the fund’s national board to increase the allocation and ensure it is disbursed in time.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Some 358 learners from Kuria in Migori County have received Sh12 million in school fees subsidy programme from World Vision’s Kenya.

The programme dubbed ‘World Vision Kenya Big Dream Programme’ school fee subsidy programme aims to end Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) through education in the Kuria region.

South Nyanza Cluster Manager for World Vision Mr. Shadrack Yator while speaking at Mabera Girls High School in Kuria West Sub County said that 214 of the 358 girls the programme was supporting escaped FGM.

Yator revealed that the organisation will enhance sensitisation and create a friendly environment for girls to empower them educationally to eradicate FGM, teenage pregnancies and early marriages.

‘We want to cushion our girls from the societal evils of FGM and early marriages by giving them hope and refuge in education, so as to have a generation that will act as role models to the future of young girls.

The official said the programme will complement what the national government and county governmen
ts give as a bursary to accommodate more beneficiaries.

Migori Deputy Governor Joseph Mahiri stressed the importance of education in the fight against FGM, early marriage and teenage pregnancies.

Mahiri explained that having a girl-educated generation will end vices like early marriages, teenage pregnancies and FGM that have been rampant in the Kuria region in the recent past.

His sentiments were echoed by Isebania Assistant County Commissioner Lillian Wabala and Kuria West Children’s Officer James Omondi who believe that education is the best means of ending FGM.

‘Let us educate our Kuria girls if they will ever be a voice for the region’, stated Omondi.

Source: Kenya News Agency

At least 8000 students from Eldama Ravine Constituency secured a Ksh. 73 million worth of bursaries from the constituency’s National Government Constituency Development Fund.

According to area member of parliament Mr. Musa Sirma, this was an increase of ksh. 20 million from the previous year’s ksh. 53 million were offered to 5000 students at the time

‘We have received Ksh 73,651,970 from the national government to disburse bursaries to the needy and vulnerable students in Eldama Ravine Constituency, ‘said Hon. Sirma during the disbursement of cheques in Eldama Ravine town.

Hon.Sirma refuted allegations that bursaries were being issued based on political affiliation.

‘The NGCDF bursaries are given without discrimination based on political affiliation. If that was the case, would the Nyanza region be receiving the funds since H.E William Ruto assumed office?’ posed Sirma.

According to Hon.Sirma, secondary day school students will receive bursaries on the following criteria; vulnerable students, Ksh 5,000,
partial orphans, Ksh 7,000, and total orphans will receive 10,000.

Secondary boarding students will see vulnerable students get Ksh10,000, partial orphans, Ksh 12,000, and total orphans, Ksh 15,000.

According to the MP college students will obtain bursaries on the following criteria; vulnerable students Ksh 12,000, total orphans, Ksh 15,000. Mid-level college students will get bursaries on the following basis; vulnerable students, Ksh 10,000, partial orphans, Ksh 12,000, total orphans, Ksh 15,000.

On the other hand, the university students will receive bursaries on the following criteria; vulnerable students at Ksh 15,000, partial orphans at Ksh 17,000, and total orphans will get, Ksh 20,000.

Koibatek Sub-County NGCDF Chairman, John Mr.Lagat commended H.E William Ruto for pushing for the return of CDF gund which had earlier been quashed by the courts.

He stated that the bursaries have reduced student absenteeism and the number of school dropouts due to school fee support.

‘This event also marks 20 years
of disbursement of CDF bursaries,’ added the chair

The event was graced by the presence of other legislators. They include Hon.Beatrice Elachi (Dagoretti North), Hon.Tandaza Kassim(Matuga), Hon.Reuben Kiborek(Mogotio), Hon. Aduma Owuor (Nyakach) and Hon.Lawi Kipchumba (Lembus Kwen Ward MCA).

Source: Kenya News Agency

The PS in the State Department of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVETS) Dr. Esther Muoria has expressed the government’s commitment to bolstering TVET institutions.

In a speech read on her behalf by the Western Region Director of TVET Joseph Sunguti, Muoria said that TVETS are for innovations that will go a long way in offering solutions to the country’s many concerns like the environment, increase in food production, and creation of energy among others.

She noted that countries that embraced TVETS a long time ago have prospered to the extent that Kenya imports many items from them.

‘We are not giving up and we cannot give up at this level,’ she said, adding that the TVET fair held at Busia was a testimony of forging ahead to achieve the country’s goals in creativity and innovation.

The PS further expressed the government’s commitment to supporting TVET institutions through the provision of funds for essential resources, training materials, facilities, and curriculum activities which res
onates well with the sustainable goals for education.

‘The government through the State Department of TVETS is enabling trainees to access higher education and realise their full potential in the spirit and policy of not leaving anyone behind,’ he said urging all TVET institutions to uphold the principles of competency-based education and training to enable trainees to acquire skills that are aligned with the industries.

Muora at the same time urged the institutions to engage in research and innovation which would enhance the achievement of their programmes in case of the challenges that they have.

The Western Regional Director of TVET Joseph Sunguti said that the region leadership wants to build strong teams that could compete favourably with other regions.

‘We as a Western region have been strong and those standards should not be lowered at all,’ he said.

He encouraged the leadership at college levels to come up with activities that could showcase what individual colleges were doing.

‘We as a Ministry
and State Department for TVETS wish to state that we will continue to support all the activities when they are held at regional level or college level or national level,’ he said.

The forum organized by Bumbe Technical and Training Institution brought together 29 VTTI from the Western Region to participate in skills competitions, and robotics, showcase their exhibits, and present research papers.

The theme of the two-day event is TVET for Sustainable Development: ‘The Role of Science, technology, and Innovation for economic resilience’.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The Ministry of Education has drafted the Basic Education Bill, 2024, for legislation that will make County Commissioners chairpersons of the County Education Boards (CEBs).

This will be a departure from the Basic Education Act, 2013, which is set to be repealed, that provides that the Cabinet Secretary appoints an educationist of at least five years standing, and based in the county.

In a press statement sent to newsrooms, the Cabinet Secretary for Education Ezekiel Machogu said the Bill would however, retain the County Director of Education or their representative as the Secretary to the County Education Board as in the current Basic Education Law.

The proposed changes were unveiled during the stakeholders’ forum on the Draft Sessional Paper and Bills to implement the recommendations of the Working Party at the Kenya Institute of Special Education.

Machogu who presided over the occasion said the changes followed recommendations by the Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms (PWPER), which was es
tablished to address the various challenges that had been observed across all levels of Kenya’s education system.

In attendance were the Principal Secretaries for the State Departments of Basic Education, Technical Vocational and Technical Training and University Education and Research Dr. Belio Kipsang, Dr. Esther Muoria and Dr. Beatrice Inyangala, respectively.

The CS assured the stakeholders that the government would restore the Sh22, 244 capitations for the Free Days Secondary Education programme.

‘The reduced capitation to Sh17,000 was due to the restrictive fiscal space. The restoration of the Sh22, 244 will help secondary schools to operate,’ he noted.

The changes in the Universities Bill, 2024 seek to bar Universities from offering diploma programmes.

Machogu said the Universities should restrict themselves to offering graduate and postgraduate programmes, and leave diploma and other certificate courses to middle-level colleges.

Among the public documents the Ministry of Education presented to s
takeholders for discussion and comments included The Sessional Paper on a Policy Framework for Education Reforms in Kenya, 2024.

‘The Sessional paper will anchor all the recommendations in the Report and provide the vehicle through which the Report will be presented to Parliament for adoption,’ said the CS.

The bills were The Technical and Vocational Education and Training Bill, 2024, The Kenya National Qualifications Framework (Amendment) Bill 2024, Tertiary Education Placement and Funding Bill, Kenya Literature Bureau (Amendment) Bill, 2024 and Kenya National Examinations Council (Amendment) Bill, 2024.

Others were the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (Amendment) Bill, 2024, the Basic Education Bill, 2024, the Education Appeals Tribunal Bill, 2024, the Basic Education Scholarships and Bursaries Bill, 2024, the Science Technology and Innovation (Amendment) Bill, 2024 and the Universities Bill, 2024.

The Stakeholders were drawn from teachers’ unions, faith-based organizations, Vice-Chancellors of
public universities, members of civil society, senior education officials and all the Semi-Autonomous organizations in the education sector.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA) has partnered with the Deutsche Gesellschaft fur International (GIZ) to implement the Dual TVET training program that combines apprenticeship within companies and vocational education.

The program will train students on industry skills while still learning in colleges and matching businesses with the right skills to improve their productivity and enhance employee retention rates.

Principal Secretary for the State Department for Technical, Vocational Education and Training (TVET), Dr. Esther Muoria, said that the partnership aims to strengthen and collaborate with states, among them Germany and Finland, between the public, private and established development partners as well as the industries through the dual training program.

She added that competency-based education and training curricula is an approach that emphasizes the participation of practical skills from which students will gain work experience from KEPSA members.

‘The government has provided state-of-the-
art equipment in TVET institutions as a main means of using the institutional practice experience for the implementation of the idea,’ she said.

The PS made the remarks in a speech read on her behalf by the Policy and Strategy Director of TVET in the State Department of TVET Mr. Joseph Njau, during the official opening of the Dual TVET Training Program Partnership 2024 held at a Nairobi hotel.

Muoria said dual training, also known as the working technique of learning, is a model that combines green jobs learning in practical work experience, which comprises 70 percent of training in the industry and 50 percent in given institutions.

‘The dual program bridges the gap between dual practice for ensuring that trainees are equipped with the skills and competencies in the rapidly developing country moving for the labor market,’ Muoria said.

She noted that the concept of dual training has been implemented in several developed countries for a decade and has been a stronger strategy for imparting practical skills,
as well as being one of the best in training students in the industry.

‘TVET institutions by 2026 will bring about other components that will ensure that after the project there will be still sustainability,’ said the PS.

Muoria announced that her Ministry has set up industries to support skills which will focus on linkages, industrial training, and integrations as a way of supporting graduates with given skills for international and local trade labor market.

She at the same time, added that dual training is an important initiative as it will bridge the gap between the industry’s needs, trainees, and employment.

Speaking at the event, Counselor-Skills and Development and Job Creation, Embassy of Finland, Matts Weurlander, said that the collaboration between partners is crucial because it will equip trainees with skills that will lead to employment for young people according to the industry needs in TVET.

Weurlander said the project aims to solve the skills that students receive, noting that with the dyna
mic world that keeps on changing, students need to have skills that support flexibility to move and remain innovative.

‘Partnership with private sectors is essential as it enables people to go far and also foster the collaboration that is relevant in today’s world,’ he said.

The Director of Youth and Jobs at the Kenya Private Sector Alliance, Dr. Ehud Gachugu, said that the private sector aims to promote job creation by giving graduates skills besides bringing together businesses.

He added that TVET should not navigate complex training without skills that are relevant to the job market.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Kirinyaga Central National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) has disbursed Sh59.2 million to cater for school fees for all successful applicants this financial year.

This is the highest allocation to education ever in the constituency since the inception of NG-CDF where over 15,000 students in various stages and institutions will receive a share of the funds.

While launching the disbursement, Kirinyaga Central Member of Parliament (MP) Gachoki Gitari said he is committed to supporting education by all means possible.

He said that all students in day school will each get Sh5,000 while those in boarding schools will receive Sh6,000. Those boarding outside the county and in institutions of higher learning will get Sh10,000.

Gitari urged principals of schools to dedicate their time to students and add value to the education system by providing information toward the creation of plans and policies aimed at improving education.

‘My commitment to supporting education will continue, not only in b
ursary allocation but also in ensuring that the infrastructure is of the required standard,’ Gitari said.

‘However, I warn parents trying to compromise the application process by duplicating forms and interchanging names that they will not benefit from the bursary’, the MP cautioned.

Lucy Mbai, Director Education, Kirinyaga Central sub-county, acknowledged the top performance of Kirinyaga Central sub-county in academics compared to the other four sub-counties and lauded the area MP’s passion for education.

She called upon parents to respond when called to attend school functions as it forms part of vital engagements with education stakeholders. She also appreciated principals who have been kind enough to retain students who have fee challenges in school until the bursary is disbursed.

Ms. Mbai appreciated assistant chiefs who were instrumental in achieving 100 percent transition government policy. She requested for construction of more classrooms based on demand as some schools accommodate up to 70 studen
ts against the approved standard of 45 in a classroom.

Deputy County Commissioner (DCC) Kirinyaga Central, Joseph Murethi, said identification and nurturing of talents should be considered to take advantage of skills that children have. He attributed the inability to raise fees to the use of alcohol, assuring that the security officers are doing all possible to eradicate alcoholism and drug abuse in the county.

He encouraged students to join technical and vocational colleges to acquire employable skills and urged those wishing to take advantage of labour migration to get skills from such institutions which have now been established in all sub-counties.

‘The government is investing resources in technical institutions; I expect many of your children to join them to acquire technical skills and take advantage of jobs in foreign countries currently being sought by the government,’ DCC Mureithi said.

Kirinyaga Central Technical and Vocational College Principal Charity Mugo who attended the function disclosed t
hat applications are ongoing and interested applicants can access application via Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS), noting that successful applicants can get financial aid from HELB among other scholarships.

Joseph Maina and Joseph Wanjiru, parents of beneficiaries of the bursary, thanked the CDF board saying their children can return to school after the ongoing mid-term holiday without school fees worries.

They acknowledged the role of the NG-CDF in the development of schools, especially the construction of laboratories.

Source: Kenya News Agency