Seek alternative sources of income, TVET principals told

State Department of Vocational and Technical Training PS Dr Kevit Desai with officials of Kenya Association of Technical Training Institutions Charles Koech and Nduku Mutua, in Kwale yesterday. [Gerard Mutunga, Standard]

Principals of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) have been urged to venture into enterprises as way of supplementing Government funding.

Principal Secretary in the State Department of Vocational and Technical Training Kevit Desai said TVETs should venture into alternative sources of income such as setting up enterprises like research, training and industry partnerships.

Dr Desai was speaking during the official opening of the Kenya Association of Technical Training Institutions (KATTI) principals’ conference and Annual General Meeting in Kwale County yesterday.

“We must realise that the growth of TVET sector in the country is tremendous and the Government funding will not be enough to cater for the needs of the sector. I call upon the technical training institutes to consider venturing into alternative sources of income such as setting up enterprises like research, training and industry partnerships where they are contracted by industries based on their areas of specialisation,” explained Desai.

Glory Mutungi, KATTI chairperson, had earlier led the principals in asking the Government to reintroduce operational and development grants to support the growth of TVETs to enable them cater for increased enrollment.

“Today we have a high number of enrollment which is beyond our capacity and some of our institutes are now handling double the number of students they were meant to cater for. This has made some of them overstretch on their budgets and that’s why we are calling upon the government to consider our request,” said Ms Mutungi.

The conference is organised under the theme Understanding TVET Reforms and Policies.

“As an association, we need to engage with relevant stakeholders especially from the industry since they are the ones who employ our graduates. This forum will help us fully address the reforms and policies that are required to drive the growth in the TVET sector. We must be aligned to the government’s need and also the industry at large,” said Mutungi.

The five-day forum has seen 177 principals from different KATTI member institutes convene to champion the growth of TVET sector.

Dr Desai also urged the principals to forge industry partnership and adopt good governance.