Vihiga: Education stakeholders and administrators in Sabatia Sub County have raised alarm over persistently low enrollment of local students in tertiary institutions, warning that the trend threatens the county’s future economic stability and development.
According to Kenya News Agency, Dr. James Sure, a KMTC lecturer, highlighted the urgent need for interventions to bridge information gaps, tackle rising gender-based violence (GBV) cases, and reverse the declining transition of school leavers to colleges and vocational centers. During a meeting at Sabatia Sub County Headquarters, Dr. Sure revealed troubling graduation statistics: out of 197 graduates in a recent cohort at KMTC Vihiga in Mbale, only 13 students hailed from Vihiga County.
Dr. Sure expressed concern over the figures, noting the disconnect between available educational opportunities and local participation. He called for honest discussions to understand why local youth were missing out on educational opportunities in their own region. He urged parents, chiefs, and education officers to investigate underlying causes such as economic hardship, lack of information, and local disinterest, emphasizing the need to bridge the gap before losing a generation to idleness.
Responding to claims about the unaffordability of college education, Stephen Ngode of the Ramogi Institute of Advanced Technology (RIAT) explained that government funding through scholarships and HELB loans is now processed transparently via the Higher Education Financing (HEF) portal. Ngode assured that the Means Testing Instrument (MTI) assesses a family’s financial need to provide tailored assistance.
Ngode highlighted that HELB aims to support vulnerable children, with the scholarship component being non-repayable, assisting students from poor backgrounds to access quality education. He added that every student placed through KUCCPS who applied received assistance, with institutions like RIAT offering free guidance on KUCCPS placement and HEF applications.
Deputy County Commissioner Festus Munyao directed local administrators to lead education outreach efforts, emphasizing the need to enroll and retain all school-age children. Munyao noted the government’s investment in TVET institutions and urged communities to seize these opportunities. He condemned the rise in GBV cases, linking them to idleness and school dropouts, and urged legal action against perpetrators.
Community leaders emphasized the need for changing attitudes toward technical education, as many families still prefer white-collar courses. Education officers called for career talks and regular barazas to inform students about educational opportunities and funding options, as well as GBV prevention.
Munyao concluded that county prosperity depends on a skilled workforce and safe communities, urging stakeholders to bridge the gap and ensure children receive education and protection.
