This archive report was first published on 17 December 2019.
On December 17, 2019, Deputy President William Ruto emphasized the need for a paradigm shift in career choices among Kenyan youth, citing the importance of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in reducing unemployment.
Speaking in Tongaren, Bungoma County, during a career guidance programme, Dr. Ruto highlighted the Government's Big Four agenda as a programme that will create thousands of jobs for youth with technical skills.
“The best way to ensure youths have jobs is to ensure we have programmes that can create jobs and at the same time have a plan to prepare youth to be able to do the jobs that will be created,” he said.
Dr. Ruto was accompanied by Senate Speaker Ken Lusaka, Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichungwa, Deputy Governors Ngome Kibanani (Bungoma) and Joash Maangi (Kisii), and Principal Secretary State Department of Vocational and Technical Training Dr. Kevit Desai.
The Deputy President dismissed the notion that Technical Institutes are for those who failed in their secondary examination, stating that Kenya seeks to increase the number of youth with technical skills to help drive the country’s development agenda.
He added: “If we do not have people with technical skills Vision 2030 will change to Vision 3020.”
The Government will support youth enrolling in TVETs through bursaries worth Sh30,000 and HELB loan worth Sh40,000 per student annually.
