By Joseph Orina
The Meru National Polytechnic in Kenya became the first Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institution in the country to develop, offer, examine, and certify its own courses.
The institution has been accredited by the Kenya National Qualifications Authority (KNQA) to develop courses and offer examinations and has become a Qualification Awarding Institution (QAI). This means that the institution is legally mandated to offer its own curriculum, assess and certify its own courses. The certificates issued by the Meru National Polytechnic are nationally, regionally and internationally recognized, and meet the minimum requirements for international comparability.
According to the Chief Principal, Mr Mutembei Kigige, the Meru National Polytechnic has been developing Competency-Based Education and Training (CBET) programmes to address concerns over the mismatch between training and industry needs.
The Chief Principal Mutembei Kigige(far left) shows the Cabinet Secretary Ministry of Education Hon. Ezekiel Machogu (centre) around the polytechnic accompanied by Hon. Rahim Dawood, MP. North Imenti, Dr. Tanui PS ICT, Dr. Inyangala, PS. Diaspora Affairs and Dr. Esther Thaara Muoria PS. TVET. During the official launch of Jitume Digital Empowerment Centre
CBET is an internationally recognised training methodology that delivers technical education focusing on specific industry needs. The trainees have an advantage because industry players are involved, and the institution ensures that it trains people who fit the job market.
The institution has developed curriculum for several courses, including Level 4 Courses in Gypsum Installation, Concrete Reinforcement Technology and Tile Laying, and Level 6 Courses in Water Treatment and Recycling Technology, and Data Communication and computer networks. The Meru National Polytechnic will also mentor other regional institutions and give guidance on the relevant courses to be taught to enable the sector to respond to the needs of the job market.
The Principal Secretary, Dr Esther Muoria, officiated the awarding ceremony and underscored the importance of the accreditation for the sector. Technical institutes will now be able to award certificates for courses they are sure students have undertaken through practical training and assessment. The Meru National Polytechnic will also confirm that technical training institutions and vocational colleges meet the minimum requirements for offering the said curriculums, while the certificates offered in those institutions will bear the name of Meru National Polytechnic. The institution will produce skilled labour, and the output from the institution will prove the strength of the institution in Kenya and beyond.
The Writer is the Communication Manager at Meru Polytechnic College