Nairobi: Members of the parliamentary committee on Transport and Infrastructure have called for enhanced funding and policy support to enable more Kenyan youth to acquire maritime and blue economy skills. During a retreat with the State Department for Shipping and Maritime Affairs, the Committee, Chaired by the Ndia MP, George Kariuki, urged NG-CDF to support youth pursuing maritime-related training and courses to enable the country to benefit from the growing global opportunities in the sector.
According to Kenya News Agency, the committee members, comprised of Komingoi Kibet (Bureti), Elsie Muhanda (Kakamega women rep), Johnson Naicca (Mumias West), Hussein Weytah (Mandera East), Badi Twalib (Jomvu), and Samuel Arama (Nakuru Town West), further appealed to the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) to begin financing trainees undertaking maritime courses at the Bandari Maritime Academy. They noted that a lack of financial support has continued to lock out many deserving students from accessing maritime education and international certification programs.
Shipping and Maritime Affairs PS Aden Millah highlighted Kenya’s significant opportunity to supply skilled maritime labor to the global market if the country invests strategically in training and certification. ‘We have numerous job opportunities in the global maritime industry that Kenya can tap into. What we need is to equip our youth with the right skills and internationally recognized certifications so that they can competitively participate in the sector,’ said Aden.
The lawmakers also challenged the State Department to forge partnerships with Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions across the country to widen access to maritime careers. They proposed a framework where graduates from various TVET institutions can transition into maritime employment opportunities after undertaking the Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW) programme at the Bandari Maritime Academy.
The Bandari Maritime Academy CEO, Dr. Eric Lewa Katana, told the committee that maritime training remains costly due to the institution’s limited funding model. He noted that currently, the academy does not benefit from government capitation like other public training institutions. Dr. Katana explained that the expensive nature of maritime training is largely driven by the high cost of specialized equipment, international compliance requirements, and mandatory certification standards needed to prepare students for global maritime employment.
In response, members of the committee pledged to spearhead discussions aimed at ensuring the issue of government capitation and sustainable funding for maritime training institutions is addressed, terming it a critical step towards empowering Kenyan youth and strengthening the country’s blue economy agenda.
Source: Kenya News Agency
