By Godwin Bonge Muhwezi
The Kisumu National Polytechnic College held a ground breaking ceremony on 23rd February 2022 to begin the construction of the Regional flagship TVET institute for Textile Technology worth USD4.5 million. The project is funded by the World Bank through the East Africa Skills for Transformation and Regional Integration Project (EASTRIP).
The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by, among others, the Cabinet Secretary for Education in Kenya, Prof. George Magoha, the Governor of Kisumu, Prof. Peter Anyang’ Nyong’o, the Principal Secretary, State Department for Vocational and Technical Training, Ministry of Education in Kenya, Dr. Margaret Mwakima, the World Bank Task Team Leader, Anne Kuira, and the Deputy Executive Secretary, IUCEA, Prof. Mike Kuria.
Presiding over the graduation and the ground breaking, the Cabinet Secretary for Education in Kenya, Prof. George Magoha said, “There is a shortage of skilled labour worldwide and the role of TVET is to ensure that learners are skilled.”
The Governor of Kisumu, Prof. Peter Anyang’ Nyong’o said: “Polytechnic institutions are key in providing critical labour we need for the fourth industrial revolution. “I am happy to note that the textile department has made tremendous improvements to transform into a regional flagship TVET Institute for East Africa. I want to see it grow and compete in the garment making”.
The Principal Kisumu National Polytechnic College, Ms. Catherine Kelonye, said: “Kisumu National Polytechnic College has registered remarkable growth through introduction of new courses to meet the growing demand for the job market. Student enrollment has increased from 5,000 to 10,000”.
The Deputy Executive Secretary, Inter University Council for East Africa (IUCEA), Prof. Mike Kuria, said: “The greatness of this institution will not be measured by the magnificence of buildings but what happens in them. Do not be mesmerized by the buildings which I am sure will be fantastic, but rather work towards making Kisumu City a regional hub for textiles”.
EASTRIP is a five-year project funded by the World Bank and African governments to increase access and improve the quality of TVET Programmes in selected regional flagship institutes and to support regional integration. to increase the access and improve the quality of TVET programs in selected Regional TVET Centers of Excellence and to support regional integration. The Kenya EASTRIP project supports the development of highly specialized TVET programmes in marine and port logistics, building and highway infrastructure, geothermal and textile sectors for training of technicians and TVET faculty.
The Writer is a Project Communication Offficer for EASTRIP at IUCEA