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JKUAT to offer vocational training from January

Students

A past Jkuat graduation. PHOTO | NMG

Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) has obtained approval to establish a Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) institute at its Karen campus in Nairobi.

It got the nod from the Technical and Vocational Education and Training Authority, the agency regulating and co-ordinating TVET training in the country.

The institute, to be headed by the former Director of the JKUAT Mombasa CBD Campus Dr Fridah Simba, is set to admit students in January next year.

“On Monday 31 October, 2022, the Authority carried out an assessment at the institute’s facilities in Karen, and provisionally gave the green light for the institute to advertise January intake," said JKUAT in a statement.

"The inspection covered the suitability of the physical infrastructure and resources, curriculums that have been developed, staffing, as well as governance and leadership of the institute.” The approval is a culmination of months-long efforts by the university and other stakeholders at a time the government is focused on technical colleges in the quest to feed the labour market with craftsmen and technicians.

JKUAT Vice Chancellor Victoria Ngumi said the institution will explore modalities to aid learners in progressing from vocational training to study for university degrees.

“When it comes to training and skills transfer, we are keen as a university, on ensuring that we don’t leave anyone behind. Every Kenyan child deserves a shot at acquiring skills that can empower them economically,” said Prof Ngumi.

Enrolment to TVETs hit a historical high during former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration with a focus on reviving technical colleges, marking a departure from the trend set by the late President Mwai Kibaki of converting mid-tier colleges into universities.

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