MESSAGE FROM THE DEPUTY PRINCIPAL PLANNING, ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE

The Kenya School of TVET is mandated to train technical teachers/trainers for both public and private educational institutions. In the execution of this mandate, KSTVET has put itself on a platform by continuing to be a center of excellence in the training highly qualified technical teachers. Over the years, the College has trained many technical teachers and technologists of very high caliber.

However, a major challenge exists; the link between Education, Training and Employment is weak or is not there at all. This reminds of the following quotation:

 “Those of us who know where we are going and can define the path that leads there are in the business of training. Training is akin to following a tightly fenced path in order to reach a predetermined goal at the end of it. Education is to wander freely in a field left and right of this path with a map. ” (Rominizoski, 1981)

In a recent library survey entitled “Kenyans are Voracious Readers”, it was found out that Kenya has a reading culture as 85% of Kenyans are avid readers. It is also true that the most progressive industry is that of education and training. Kenyans are eager to go to school and to attain some form of training. However, there is a weak link in the chain; their efforts are not rewarded with employment opportunities either in the formal or informal sector. This has led to many unemployed but educated people.

My contention is that we have not established proper linkage between training and work. We know that the Japanese train their citizens in motor industries and they produce cars, Koreans teach electronics and they produce televisions and Radios. The French teach about the growing of grapes and they produce wine. The questions we should ask ourselves are; "why do we train agriculturalists and end up buying food? Why do we train engineers but award contracts to foreigners? Why do we train technicians of all kinds who end up in labour markets in Asia, Europe and America?”

Thomas Kitonyi (Mr.)

DEPUTY PRINCIPAL PLANNING, ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE