Nairobi; Kenya: The National Government has released Sh40 million for the construction of an ultra-modern youth polytechnic in Ndia constituency, area MP Stephen Ngare has said.
Mr Ngare said his Constituency Development Fund would top up the amount by Sh10 million for the project for which construction is set to commence once an ideal site is identified.
The legislator said the institution will absorb those who fail to make it to secondary school and university after Standard Eight and Form Four.
HIGH QUALITY
He said the vocational courses to be offered will be tailored to meet market demands while emphasis will be put on high quality craftsmanship for both boys and girls.
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''Due to the many construction works going on across the country, there is an acute shortage of tradesmen and the few available are rare to find hence the need to train more,'' he said.
Speaking at Kagio market on Saturday, the MP said students who will enroll at the institution will join a list of professionals whose services can even be exported to the larger East Africa region.
He said gone were the days when upon graduation from universities, white collar jobs were guaranteed. He attributed this to dwindling job vacancies and the population explosion which cannot be sufficiently supported by the current economy.
MAXIMUM PUBLICITY
Ngare also took issue with the apathy the youth and women from his constituency have shown towards the Uwezo Fund.
He said despite having received Sh50 million to benefit the two groups from his constituency, only Sh 6 million has been disbursed so far.
''The youth and women from my constituency have been complaining they have not heard of the Uwezo Fund. I am now surprised that even after receiving Sh50 million for the fund and giving the course maximum publicity, only Sh6 million has been borrowed so far,'' he said.
He urged those wishing to benefit from the fund not to shy away but to approach the fund's offices with the necessary paperwork and apply for money to set up projects.
