The Kenya Association of Technical Training Institutions (KATTI) has expressed concern over the high number of dropoutsin TVET institutions.
According to the association, the pregnancies, drug abuse and economic challenges had contributed to the crisis. The situation, it reckons, is made worse by Covid-19 pandemic.
With the technical colleges partially reopening in October for the exams, the association said institutions had put in place proper measures for full reopening next month.
According to KATTI’s national chairperson Glory Mutungi, who spoke during the Principals’ annual induction conference in Naivasha, despite the pandemic adversely affecting learning, institutions were ready to pick up from where they left.
“Despite the emerging challenges we are ready to fully return to class during this period and we shall keep reminding our students to wear masks and observe social distance,” she said.
Mutungi identified financial support and staffing as some of the pressing challenges the technical institutions are facing.
“Due to the social distancing rule, we have been forced to split our classes, meaning more lecturers are needed but we don’t have the luxury of hiring more,” she said.
On his part, the PS for Vocational Training Dr Julius Jwan said that the Government had set aside funds to equip all new technical institutions by next year.
“We have over 30 new institutions and the government has allocated funds towards equipping them as learners resume classes,” he said