Embu seeks Chinese partnership to establish production units in polytechnics

From second left: Embu Education CEC Dr Joan Mwende, Embu Speaker Josiah Thiriku and Wei Guoqiang, Vice Chairman of Jiangsu Provincial People’s Congress when the Chinese paid a courtesy call at the Embu County Government headquarters. [Joseph Muchiri, Standard]

The County Government is seeking partnership from a Chinese parliament to establish production units in four vocational training centres (VTCs).

Education Executive Joan Mwende appealed to the leadership of Jiangsu Provincial People’s Congress (JPPC) to help elevate the VTCs into production units and popular training centres.

The Chinese delegation, led by Wei Guoqiang, vice-chairman of JPPC's Standing Committee, was in Embu in furtherance of a memorandum of understanding signed three years ago.

Dr Mwende said the county planned to transform the VTCs into specialisation and production centres. She said Makawani VTC would offer motor vehicle mechanic, Karurumo metal processing, Siakago building and construction and Kangaru cosmetology.

“We plan to establish the production units within the VTCs, which will provide larger space for utilisation of skills learnt by the youth. The units will be income generating to ease financial burdens. We have a ready market for the products from those units and there is even potential for external market,” she said.

The Chinese delegation that was hosted by Embu Speaker Josiah Thiriku promised to partner with the county government to enable it realise its development goals.