By Godwin Bonge Muhwezi
In an effort to ensure successful implementation of the East Africa Skills for Transformation and Regional Integration Project (EASTRIP), the Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA) and the World Bank teams conducted a monitoring and support mission in Kenya. IUCEA is the Regional Facilitation Unit (RFU) of EASTRIP, with with a task of monitoring and providing technical support in project implementation among the three project implementing countries that is Ethiopia, Kenya, and Tanzania.
The mission was organized to monitor the project’s progress, identify challenges, and come up with solutions to ensure effective implementation of the project. The mission included meetings with the National Project Coordination Unit at the Ministry of Education, State Department for TVET and field visits to 5 Regional Flagship TVET Institutes supported by EASTRIP with funding from the World Bank.
Ms. Annet Kiura (C) from The World with EASTRIP Team at KIHBT during the monitoring and support mission in Kenya.
The RFTIs visited included Kenya Coast National Polytechnic College – the Regional Flagship TVET Institute in Marine Engineering, the Kisumu National Polytechnic College – the Regional Flagship TVET Institute if Textile Technology, KenGen Geothermal Training Center – the Regional Flagship TVET Institute in Geothermal Training, The Meru National Polytechnic College – The Regional Flagship TVET Institute if Building and Construction, and Kenya Institute of Highways and Building Technology – The Regional Flagship TVET Institute in Building Technology. The monitoring and support mission concluded with a visit at the EASTRIP National Project Coordination at the Ministry of Education, Kenya, State Department for TVET.
The Ag. Director, TVET, Ministry of Education, Kenya, Mr. Mr. John Tuwei (C) with Principals and Head of Regional Flagship TVET Institutes in Kenya at the Ministry Offices in Nairobi for the exit meeting
Speaking at the exit meeting, the Ag. Director, TVET, State Department for TVET in Kenya, Mr. John Tuwei, noted that the monitoring and support mission was important especially coming at a time when most the TVET Institutes visited had begun or were about to begin construction Regional TVET centers of excellence. He said that the monitoring and support mission demonstrates IUCEA’s commitment as the EASTRIP Regional Facilitation Unit, to provide the necessary technical support to ensure successful implementation of the project. “By engaging directly with key stakeholders and offering on-site support, I believe that you were able to offer guidance and valuable support to address any challenges the RFTIs were facing.”
The EASTRIP Regional Project Coordinator, Dr. Cosam Joseph said that the mission provided the team with an opportunity to track progress, identify challenges, and discuss solutions to ensure effective and timely implementation of the project. “Through this monitoring and support mission, we were able witness firsthand some of the challenges the RFTIs were facing but we also discovered valuable lessons and good practices in some RFTIs that can be shared with other institutes,” he said.
Similar monitoring and support missions have already been held in Ethiopia and Tanzania. The findings are often consolidated into a concise report, which is discussed at an exit meeting with high-ranking government officials responsible for regulating TVET at national level.
The Writer is the Communication Officer for EASTRIP at IUCEA.