400 Youth Benefit From Sh. 5.6m Scholarship at Thika Technical, Thanks To Nyokabi.
While launching the programme at Thika Technical Training Institute on Monday, its patron Kiambu Women Rep. Hon. Annah Nyokabi said that the youth will will be enrolled to undertake 4-week courses that will run from the 4th to the 30th of April 2016.
This is the first programme of its kind in Kenya where youth who included school drop outs necessitated by various reasons will benefit with self-sustaining skills geared towards direct employment. The courses, that are fully paid for through AASDF, will include mechanical engineering, electrical, welding, plumbing, tailoring, bakery, catering, dress-making, tailoring, wiring, masonry and painting.
"We targeted those people that the society has been regarding as rejects due to their poor educational background. Kenya cannot develop on empty rhetoric and that is why we want these young people here to be self-reliant and break that cycle of politicians taking advantage of their plight to misuse them for political expediency. We are now sowing a seed, our future and hope for an industrialised nation. We need to nurture this seed into self-empowerment," said Nyokabi.
She added that these lot had been having it rough in the job market for lacking any skill or certification of their skills to warrant any meaningful employment.
She said that countries like China were developing in such a fast rate due to their emphasis on investing in skilled labour. It was in this context that the county steering committee decided on empowering these people via practical skills.
To show the inclemency of the state of joblessness in the society, 3500 application forms had been received, which included the youth, old women, and persons with disabilities. She therefore advised the beneficially to take full advantage of this golden opportunity.
"The demand for skilled labour is very high in this country. Use it this God-given opportunity to better yourself, your families and the society. We are setting stage to a great nation," she said.
On the proposed change of the 8-4-4 curriculum, Hon. Nyokabi said that she was fully supportive of the debate adding that it was long overdue.
"I support the review (of 8-4-4) a 100%. No nation can ever develop without technical training. Technical courses are the recipe for growth. China transformed majority of its universities into technical colleges for the same reasons. We need now to review our educational system to lay more emphasis on practicals. It needs also to move with the times especially on digital enhancement," she said.
No comments: